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Section  * 


TDS507 

T 49 


Number 


I 


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in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/straitsofmalacca00thom_0 


TEN  YEARS'  TRAVELS,  ADVENTURES 


AND  RESIDENCE  ABROAD 


A SIAMESE  PRINCE  AND  ATTENDANT 


THE  STRAITS  OF  MALACCA, 


INDO-CHINA,  and  CHINA; 


TEN  YEARS'  TRAVELS,  ADVENTURES, 
AND  RESIDENCE  ABROAD. 


By  J.  THOMSON,  F.R.G.S., 

AUTHOR  OF  ‘ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHINA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.' 


ILLUSTRATED  WITH  UPWARD  OF  SIXTY  WOOD  ENGRAVINGS  BY  J.  D.  COOPER, 
FROM  THE  AUTHOR’S  OWN  SKETCHES  AND  PHOTOGRAPHS. 


NEW  YORK: 

HARPER  & BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN  SQUARE. 

l875‘ 


PREFACE. 


I'he  accompanying  recollections  of  my  travels  are 
addressed  to  those  readers — I believe  there  must  be 
many — who  feel  an  interest  in  the  remote  regions  over 
which  my  journeys  extended,  and  in  that  great  section 
of  the  human  family  which  peoples  the  vast  area  of 
China — a section  which,  through  the  agency  of  steam 
and  telegraphy,  is  being  brought  day  by  day  into  closer 
relationship  with  ourselves. 

I have  endeavoured  to  impart  to  the  reader  some 
share  in  the  pleasure  which  I myself  experienced  in 
my  wanderings  ; but,  at  the  same  time,  it  has  been  my 
care  so  to  hold  the  mirror  up  to  his  gaze,  that  it  may 
present  to  him,  if  not  always  an  agreeable,  yet  at  least 
a faithful,  impression  of  China  and  its  inhabitants  ; and 
of  the  latter,  not  only  as  I found  them  at  home  on  their 
native  soil,  but  also  as  we  see  them  in  our  own  colonial 
possessions,  and  in  other  lands  to  which  emigration 
has  carried  them. 

Since  the  days  of  the  great  Venetian  traveller, 
perhaps  no  epoch  in  the  history  of  that  quarter  of  the 


VI 


PREFACE. 


globe  has  been  more  full  of  interest  than  the  present. 
At  last  the  light  of  civilisation  seems  indeed  to  have 
dawned  in  the  distant  East ; with  its  early  rays  gilding 
the  little  island-kingdom  of  Japan,  and  already  pene- 
trating to  the  edges  of  the  great  Chinese  continent, 
where  the  gloom  of  ages  still  broods  over  the  cities,  a 
dark  cloud  that  lifts  but  slowly,  and  yields  unwillingly 
to  the  daylight  that  now  floods  the  shore,  but  which 
soon,  perhaps,  may  be  rent  and  dissipated  in  the  thun- 
ders of  now  impending  war. 

Certain  it  seems  that  China  cannot  much  longer  He 
undisturbed  in  statu  quo.  Her  deeply  reverenced 
policy  of  inactivity  and  stagnation  has  brought  floods, 
famine,  pestilence,  and  civil  wars  in  its  train ; it  cannot 
sink  the  toiling  masses  to  yet  lower  depths  of  misery, 
or  staj  the  clamours  of  multitudes  wailing  for  susten- 
ance while  the  rivers  run  riot  over  their  fertile  plains, 
and  the  roads  have  been  converted  into  watercourses. 
The  rulers  meantime,  with  a blind  pride,  are  arming 
a beggarly  soldiery  to  fight  for  nothing  that  is  worth 
defending,  and  Japan — in  the  vindication  of  her  own 
rights,  and  in  the  interests  of  humanity — has  planted  a 
small  but  disciplined  army  on  what  is  really  an  integral 
portion  of  the  Chinese  soil. 

To  these  few  words  let  me  add  that,  with  a view  to 
supply  not  merely  a pleasant  readable  book,  but  infor- 
mation as  complete  as  it  is  trustworthy,  I have  in 


PREFA  CE.  vii 

the  latter  part  of  the  present  work  reproduced  and 
amplified  some  passages  which  I had  already  given 
to  the  world  in  my  ‘ Illustrations  of  China  and  its 
People,’  passages  which  I have  thought  to  be  of  some 
importance,  but  yet  which  could  not  reach  the  great 
body  of  general  readers  in  my  larger  and  more  costly 
work. 

J.  T. 


Brixton*  : Xov.  1874.  . 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

The  Straits  of  Malacca — The  Dutch  Operations  at  Acheen,  in  Sumatra 
— Penang;  its  Hills,  Foliage,  Flowers,  and  Fruit — The  Klings, 
Malays,  and  Chinese  of  Penang — Occupations  of  the  Chinese — 

The  Chinaman  abroad — A Descendant  of  the  early  Portuguese — 
Hospitality — A Snake  at  a Ball i 

CHAPTER  II. 

A Visit  to  Quedah — Miden  missing — The  Rajah’s  Garden — Province 
Wellesley — Sugar  and  Tapioca  Planting — Field  Labour — A baffled 
Tiger — Wild  Men — An  Adventure  in  Province  Wellesley.  . . 23 

CHAPTER  III. 

Chinese  Guilds  ; their  Constitution  and  Influence — Emigration  from 
China — A Plea  for  unrestricted  Female  Emigration — The  Perak 
Disturbances — Chinese  Tin-mining — Malacca  — Singapore — Its 
Commerce  and  People — Stuffing  an  Alligator — The  Horse-breaker 
— Chinese  Burglars — Inland  Scenery — A Foreign  Residence — 
Amusements — A Night  in  the  Jungle — Casting  Brazen  Vessels — 
Jacoons.  44 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Siam — The  Menam  River — Bangkok — Buddhist  Temples — The 
King,  Defender  of  his  Faith— Missions — Buddhist  Priests — The 
Priest  in  his  Cell — The  first  King’s  Visit  to  the  Wats — The  Court 
of  the  Dead — Chinese  Speculator  investing  in  a Corpse — The 
Krum-mun-alongkot — An  Inventor  wanted — Taking  the  King’s 
Portrait— The  King  describes  the  Tonsure  Ceremony — The  King’s 
Request — Mode  of  administering  Justice — Gambling — Floating 
Houses — A Trip  to  Ayuthia — Creek  Life — Visit  to  Petchiburee  . 78 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

PAGE 

An  Expedition  to  Cambodia — Bang  Phra-kong  Creek — Prairie  on 
fire — A Foreign  Sailor — Wild  River  Scenery — Aquatic  Birds — 
Kabin — Kut’s  Story  to  the  Chief — A Storm  in  the  Forest — The 
Cambodian  Ruins — Their  Magnitude — Siamrap — Nakhon  Wat— 

Its  Symbolism — The  Bas-reliefs  and  Inscriptions— The  Hydra- 
headed Snake — The  Ancient  Capital,  Penompinh — The  King  of 
Cambodia — Dinner  at  the  Palace — The  whole  Hog — Overland  to 
Kamput — Pirates — Mahomet’s  Story — The  Fossil  Ship  —The 
Voyage  up  the  Gulf  of  Siam.  . 1 1 8 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Saigon  ; its  Harbour — The  Town — The  Resident  Foreign  Com- 
munity— Cholon,  the  Chinese  Town — River  Dwellings — Customs 
of  the  Cochin  Chinese — Chinese  Traders — The  Cochin  Chinese 
Village  of  Choquan — The  Sorcerer — Plaine  des  Tombeaux — 
Petruski.  . . . . . . . . . .164 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Hongkong — Description  of  the  Island — The  City  of  Victoria — Its 
present  Condition — Its  Foreign  and  Native  Population — The 
Market-place — Hongkong  Artists — Grog-shops — Tai-ping-shan — 
Expense  of  Living — A strange  Adventurer — A Mormon  Mis- 
sionary. . •.  . . . . . . . . .179 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

• 

Snakes  in  Hongkong — A Typhoon — An  Excursion  up  the  North 
Branch  of  the  Pearl  River — Fatshan — The  Fi  lai-sz  Monastery — 

The  Mang-tsz-hap,  or  Blind  Man’s  Pass — Rapids — Akum’s  Ambi- 
tion— The  Kwanyin  Cave — Harvest — From  San-Shui  to  Fatshan 
in  a Canoe— Canton — Governor  Yeh’s  Temple — A Tea  Factory — 
Spurious  Tea — Making  Tea — Shameen— Tea-tasting.  . .212 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Canton — Its  general  Appearance — Its  Population — Streets — Shops — 
Mode  of  transacting  Business — Signboards — Work  and  Wages — 

The  Willow-pattern  Bridge — Juilin,  Governor-General  of  the  two 
Kwang — Clan  Fights — Hak-kas — The  Mystic  Pills — Dwellings  of 
the  Poor— The  Lo-hang-tang — Buddhist  Monastic  Life — On  board 
a Junk.  242 


CONTEXTS. 


XI 


CHAPTER  X. 

PAGE 

The  Charitable  Institutions  of  China — Macao  -Description  of  the 
Town  — Its  Inhabitants  — Swatow  — Foreign  Settlement  — Chao- 
chow-fu — Swatow  Fan-painters — Modellers — Chinese  Art — Village 
Warfare — Amoy — The  Native  Quarter — Abodes  of  the  Poor — In- 
fanticide— Manure-pits — Human  Remains  in  Jars — Lckin — 
Romantic  Scenery — Ku-lang-su — The  Foreign  Settlement.  . .271 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Takow  Harbour,  Formosa — La-mah-kai — Difficulties  of  Naviga- 
tion— Tai-wan-fu — The  Taotai — His  Yamcn— How  to  cancel  a 
State  Debt  — The  Dutch  in  1661 — Sylvan  Lanes  — Medical 
Missions — A Journey  to  the  Interior — Old  Watercourses — Broken 
Land — Hak-ka  Settlers — Poah-be — Pepohoan  Village — Baksa 
Valley — The  name  ‘ Isla  Formosa’ — A Long  March — The  Central 
Mountains — Bamboo  Bridges — ‘ Pau-ah-liau  ’ Village — The  Phy- 
sician at  Work — Ka-san-po  Village — A Wine-feast — Interior  of  a 
Hut — Pepohoan  Dwellings — A Savage  Dance— Savage  Hunting- 
grounds — La-lung  Village — Lakoli  Village — Return  Journey.  . 300 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Japanese  in  Formosa— Cause  of  the  Invasion — The  River 
Min — Foochow  Arsenal— Chinese  Gun-boats —Foochow  City  and 
great  Bridge — A City  of  the  Dead  — Its  Inhabitants — Beggars — 
Thieves — Lepers — Ku-shan  Monastery — The  Praying  Bull — The 
Hermit — Tea  Plantation  on  Paeling  Hills — Voyage  up  the  Min — 
Shui-kow  — An  Up-country  Farm  — Captain  Cheng  and  his 
Spouse — Yen-ping  City — Sacrificing  to  the  Dead— Shooting  the 
Yen-ping  Rapids— A Native  Passenger-boat.  ....  345 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Steam  Traffic  in  the  China  Sea— In  the  Wake  of  a Typhoon — 
Shanghai — Notes  of  its  Early  History — Japanese  Raids — Shanghai 
Foreign  Settlement — Paul  Sii,  or  ‘ Sii-kwang-ke  ’ — Shanghai  City 
— Ningpoo  Native  Soldiers — Snowy  Valley — The  Mountains— 
Azaleas — The  Monastery  of  the  Snowy  Crevice— The  Thousand 
Fathom  Precipice — Buddhist  Monks — The  Yangtsze  Kiang — 
Hankow — The  Upper  Yangtsze — Ichang — The  Gorges— The  Great 
Tsing-tan  Rapid — Mystic  Mountain  Lights— A Dangerous  Disaster 
Kwei-fu — Our  Return — Kiukiang — Nanking  ; its  Arsenal — The 
Death  of  Tsing-kwo-fan — Chinese  Superstition  ....  397 


CONTENTS. 


xii 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

PAGE 

Chefoo — The  Foreign  Settlement — the  Yellow  River — Silk — Its  Pro- 
duction— Taku  Forts — The  Peiho  River — Chinese  Progress — 
Floods  in  Pei-chih-li — Their  Effects — Tientsin — The  Sisters  Chapel 
Condition  of  the  People — A Midnight  Storm — Tung-chow — Peking 
— The  Tartar  and  Chinese  Divisions  of  the  Metropolis— Its  Roads, 
Shops,  and  People — The  Foreign  Hotel — Temple  and  Domestic 
Architecture — The  Tsungli  Yamen — Prince  Rung,  and  the  High 

Officers  of  the  Empire — Literary  Championship The  Confucian 

Temple — The  Observatory — Ancient  Chinese  Instruments — Yang's 
House — Habits  of  the  Ladies — Peking  Enamelling — Yuen-Ming- 
Yuen — Remarkable  Cenotaph — A Chinese  Army — Li-hung-chang 
The  Inn  of  ‘ Patriotic  Perfection’ — The  Great  Wall — The  Ming 
Tombs.  469 


APPENDIX. 

The  Aboriginal  Dialects  of  Formosa 53Q 

Diurnal  Lepidoptera  of  Siam,  Collected  by  the  Author 
and  Named  by  H.  W.  Bates,  Esq.  F.L.S.  &c. 


545 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FULL-PAGE  ENGRAVINGS. 


1.  A Siamese  Prince  and  Attendant  . . . Frontispiece. 

2.  Chinese  Merchants To  face  p.  5 6 


3.  The  King  of  Siam’s  State  Barge  . 

4.  Ancient  Camrodian  Bas-relief,  Nakhon  Wat  . 

5.  View  of  Cholon,  Cochin  China 

6.  A Village  Road,  Cochin  China  .... 

7.  A Typhoon  in  Hongkong  Harbour  . 

8.  Yeh’s  Temple,  Canton  

9.  A Street  in  Canton  

10.  A Pavilion  in  Pun-ting-qua’s  Garden  . 

11.  The  Willow-pattern  Bridge  .... 

12.  Temple  of  the  Five  Hundred  Gods  . 

13.  Deck  of  a Chinese  Junk 

14.  Children  at  Play.  ( From  a Chinese  Drawing ) 

15.  Shui-Kow 

16.  The  Dream.  ( Chinese  Drawing ) .... 

17.  Sung-Ing-Day  Fall,  Snowy  Valley  . 

18.  The  Mi-Tan  Gorge,  Upper  Yangtsze  . 

19.  A Mining  Village,  Hunan  Province 

20.  One  of  the  Inner  Gates  of  Peking  . 

21.  Great  Gateway,  Temple  of  Confucius  . 

22.  Chinese  Gentleman’s  Garden  .... 

23.  Cantonese  Boatwom an,  N ingpo  Woman,  Pepohoan, 

Tartar  

24.  Making  Enamel,  Peking 

25.  Wan-Show-Shan 


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214 

232 

248 

254 

256 

264 

270 

282 

386 

422 

424 

454 

456 

496 

516 

520 

522 

524 

526 


xiv  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS . 

ENGRAVINGS  IN  TEXT. 

PAGE 

1.  Malays  Selling  Durians 9 

2.  Malay  Boy. n 

3.  Chinese  Coolie 14 

4.  A Chinese  Contractor 18 

5.  A New  Type  of  Man 19 

6.  Malay  Hut 32 

7.  Pursued  by  a Tiger 36 

8.  Chinese  Labourers  from  the  Kwangtung  Province  . 49 

9.  Chinese  Tailors 63 

10.  Jacoons 76 

n.  Siamese  Buddhist  Priest 82 

12.  Siamese  Lady ...  92 

13.  Dancing  Girls no 

14.  Interior  of  Western  Gallery,  Nakhon  Wat  . . 142 

15.  Cambodian  Female  Head-dress.  Ancient  Sculpture  . 143 

16.  Ancient  Arch  at  Kew-vung-kwan,  Nankow  Pass  . 147 

17.  Unfinished  Pillars,  Nakhon  Wat 149 

18.  Sculptured  Tower  in  Nakhon  Thom,  the  Ancient 

Capital  of  Cambodia 151 

19.  Honkong,  from  Kellet's  Island 1 Si 

20.  A Family  Party,  Kowloon 184 

21.  Looking  North  from  the  Po-lo-Hang  Temple, 

Kwang-tung 225 

22.  Chess-playing  in  a Buddhist  Monastery  . . . 266 

23.  Lalung  Village,  Interior  of  Formosa  . . . .335 

24.  Upper  Bridge,  Foochow 356 

25.  The  King  of  the  Beggars  359 

26.  An  Unfortunate  Thief. — Punishment  of  the  Canguf.  364 

27.  Foochow  Lepers 365 

28.  Two  of  the  Guardians  of  Buddha,  Kushan  Monastery  375 

29.  The  Kushan  Hermit 377 

30.  The  Island  Temple,  River  Min 379 

31.  A Travelling  Blacksmith  at  a Farmhouse  . . .385 


LIS'T  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


xv 


PACK 

32.  Chinese  Plough,  Fukien  Province 38 7 

33.  The  Shanghai  Wheelbarrow 408 

34.  Our  Native  Boat 434 

35.  Szechuan  Boat,  Upper  Yangtsze.  • 448 

36.  The  Great  Rapid,  Metan  Gorge 452 

37.  Natives  of  Szechuan 457 

38.  Taku  Forts 476 

39.  Corean 504 

40.  Chinese  Horse-shoeing,  Peking 505 

41.  Peking  Observatory.  Jesuit  Instruments  . . .516 

42.  Ancient  Chinese  Astronomical  Instrument  . . 518 

43.  Tartar  Ladies 523 


MAPS. 

1.  Sketch-Map,  showing  Author’s  Route  . To  face  p.  1 

2.  Section  of  a Map  taken  from  ‘ Lin’s  Geo- 

graphy,’or  ‘ Hae-kw5  Too-che’  . . „ 131 

3.  Fig.  i.  Plan  of  Inner  Temple  of  Nakhow, 

from  a survey  by  the  Author.  Fig.  2. 

Plan  of  area  enclosed  by  outer  wall, 

Nakhow  Wat „ 137 

4.  South-Western  Formosa  ....  . 344 


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THE  STRAITS  OF  MALACCA, 
INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Straits  of  Malacca — The  Dutch  Operations  at  Acheen,  in  Sumatra — 
Penang;  its  Hills,  Foliage,  Flowers,  and  Fruit — The  Klings,  Malays,  and 
Chinese  of  Penang  — Occupations  of  the  Chinese  — The  Chinaman 
abroad — A Descendant  of  the  early  Portuguese — Hospitality — A Snake 
at  a Ball. 

In  1862  the  Suez  Canal  was  yet  unfinished,  and  esti- 
mated by  many  a more  than  doubtful  undertaking.  The 
joining  of  the  two  seas  by  a navigable  channel,  cut 
through  a vast  desert  of  shifting  sand,  people  set  down 
as  the  fond  scheme  of  a visionary  enthusiast ; and  so 
when  I first  quitted  England  I had  to  leave  M.  de 
Lesseps  still  carving  out  his  fame  in  the  sands  of  Egypt, 
and  to  follow  the  old  route  overland.  But  I need  not 
pause  to  detail  my  experiences  over  one  of  the  beaten 
tracks  of  modern  tourists  ; nor  can  I even  venture  to 
describe  Galle,  with  its  hills  and  palms,  and  its  cinnamon 
groves,  as  this  part  of  Ceylon  is  on  the  highway  to  India, 
and  therefore  already  well  known.  Had  health  per- 
mitted me,  on  first  returning  to  England  in  1865,  it  was 
my  intention  to  have  penetrated  to  the  centre  of  the 
island,  in  order  to  explore  its  ancient  Hindoo  or  Buddhist 
stone  buildings,  and  to  compare  them  with  the  magnifi- 


2 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


cent  remains  of  the  cities,  temples,  and  palaces  I had  just 
visited  in  the  heart  of  Cambodia.  This  project  I was 
unable  to  carry  out,  so  that  my  experiences  in  Ceylon 
are  confined  to  the  narrow  limits  of  Galle  harbour  and 
to  the  adjacent  hills — such  indeed  as  fall  to  the  lot  of  all 
who  travel  by  the  steamers  of  the  Peninsular  and  Orien- 
tal line.  I must  therefore  invite  my  reader  to  accom- 
pany me  still  further  eastward,  to  the  Malayan  Islands 
and  the  mainland  of  Indo-China,  where  I spent  some 
years  of  my  life,  before  I can  hope  to  introduce  him  to 
people  or  places  with  which  he  may  be  still  unfamiliar. 

A voyage  to  a distant  land,  even  under  the  most 
favourable  circumstances,  has  always  seemed  to  me  long 
and  tedious.  W eary  of  watching  the  expanse  of  placid 
sea,  and  the  fun  and  flirtation  carried  on  beneath  the 
white  awning  of  one  of  the  finest  steamers  afloat,  the 
words  ‘ Land  on  the  starboard  bow ! ’ fell  gratefully 
on  the  ears  of  the  outward-bound  passengers.  Novels 
were  thrown  down,  and  games  of  cards,  chess,  and 
quoits  abandoned  ; while  a dozen  telescopes  and  field- 
glasses  scanned  a faint  and  disappointing  line  on  the 
southern  horizon  ; that  is  Acheen  Head,  and  (it  may 
be  only  in  fancy)  the  breeze  off  the  land  comes  laden 
with  a tropic  perfume  from  the  rich  Sumatran  coast. 
Acheen  is  the  point  where  the  Dutch,  with  their  pon- 
derous and  sluggish  movements,  have  struck  a new 
blow  at  the  power  of  the  Malays.  They  have  left  the 
wound  open  and  lacerated,  but  will  no  doubt  return  to 
lop  off  a fresh  slice  of  territory  at  a more  convenient 
season. 

That  Dutch  rule  in  Java  has  been  productive  of 
mutual  benefit  to  the  island  and  to  Holland — more  es- 
pecially to  the  latter — no  one  will  be  inclined  to  dispute  ; 


THE  STRAITS  OF  MALACCA. 


3 


nor  need  we  doubt  that  the  same  desirable  result  will 
follow  the  occupation  of  the  recently  subdued  provinces 
which  are  being  added,  slowly  but  surely,  to  the  Dutch 
dominions  in  the  Malayan  islands.  At  the  same  time, 
unless  our  treaty  rights  in  these  regions  are  carefully 
guarded,  our  peaceful  and  profitable  trading  relations 
with  those  islands  may  suffer,  as  they  have  done,  more 
than  once,  during  the  earlier  period  of  our  intercourse 
with  the  native  states  in  this  quarter  of  the  globe.  One 
would  imagine  too,  that  Acheen  was  a most  important 
point  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a foreign  power,  standing 
as  it  does  at  the  north-western  extremity  of  Sumatra, 
and  forming,  so  to  speak,  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  west- 
ern gate  of  the  Straits  of  Malacca.  I therefore  doubt 
whether  any  power,  more  formidable  and  less  friendly 
than  the  Dutch,  would  have  been  permitted  or  en- 
couraged to  annex  this  territory. 

Steaming  eastward  through  the  Straits,  we  are  soon 
within  view  of  Penang : a very  small,  but  at  the  same 
time,  important  and  productive  island,  and  the  first 
British  possession  we  reach  in  the  Straits. 

A strikingly  picturesque  place  is  Penang,  with  its 
belt  of  bright  yellow  sand  and  its  crown  of  luxuriant 
tropical  vegetation  ; forming,  too,  a sort  of  sanitorium 
for  our  settlements  in  this  quarter,  and  having  a rich 
alluvial  plain  which,  not  many  years  ago,  was  an  im- 
penetrable jungle,  but  now  is  a perfect  garden  of 
cultivation.  The  shaded  paths  on  the  wooded  hills, 
which  rise  over  2,000  feet  above  the  sea,  lead  to  the 
most  charming  retreats  in  the  world  ; to  bungalows 
nestling  among  rocks  and  foliage,  and  to  cascades 
where  clear  cool  water  falls  into  natural  basins  of 
granite  beneath.  There  residents  may  bathe  beneath 


4 


1ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


canopies  of  palms  and  tree-ferns  ; while,  so  balmy  is 
the  climate  amid  these  hill-dwellings,  that  the  lightest 
costumes  may  be  at  all  times  worn. 

Many  of  the  lower  spurs  of  the  Penang  hills,  and 
the  valleys  which  divide  them,  have  been  cleared,  and 
planted  with  cocoa,  areca  palms,  nutmegs,  and  a great 
variety  of  fruit-trees  ; small  patches  of  the  siri  vine  and 
sugar-cane  are  also  to  be  found.  In  such  places  there 
is  a deeper  and  richer  soil  than  on  the  plains  below, 
while  on  the  summit  of  the  highest  hill  the  temperature 
is  low  enough  to  allow  the  cultivation  of  European 
vegetables  and  flowers.  On  ascending  the  hill  to  the 
government  bungalow,  nothing  amid  the  profusion 
and  variety  of  palms,  flowering  shrubs,  or  tangled 
jungle,  so  much  impressed  me  as  the  stately  beauty 
of  the  tree-ferns,  growing  to  perfection  about  1,600 
feet  above  the  plain.  This  tree-fern  rears  its  bare, 
finely-marked  stem  from  15  to  20  feet  high  above 
the  underwood,  and  then  curling  its  delicate  fronds 
upward,  outward,  and  in  graceful  arches,  spreads  a 
leafy  canopy  of  the  most  tender  green  foliage,  which  it 
drops  in  a multitude  of  quivering  points  at  a distance 
of  eight  or  ten  feet  round  the  parent  stalk. 

It  will  hardly  be  credited,  by  those  who  have  never 
visited  a hill  country  in  the  tropics,  that  soon  after 
sunrise  the  noise  of  awakening  beetles  and  tree-loving 
insects  is  so  great  as  to  drown  the  bellowing  of  a bull, 
or  the  roar  of  a tiger  a few  paces  off.  The  sound  re- 
sembles most  nearly  the  metallic  whirr  of  a hundred 
Bradford  looms.  One  beetle  in  particular,  known  to 
the  natives  as  the  ‘ trumpeter,’  busies  himself  all  day 
long  in  producing  a booming  noise  with  his  wings.  I 
have  cautiously  approached  a tree  on  which  I knew  a 


PENANG. 


5 


number  of  these  trumpeter-beetles  to  have  settled,  when 
suddenly  the  sound  stopped,  the  alarm  was  spread 
from  tree  to  tree,  and  there  was  a lull  in  the  forest 
music,  which  only  recommenced  when  I had  returned 
to  the  beaten  track.  One  of  the  most  curious  insects 
to  be  found  on  the  hills  so  closely  resembles  the  small 
branch  of  a shrub,  that  once,  when  following  a 
narrow  path,  I picked  up  what  I thought  was  a 
dried  twig,  but  which  wriggled  and  twisted  in  my 
hands,  and  when  dropped  at  last,  disappeared  in 
the  underwood  with  wonderful  celerity,  and  a curious 
jerking  motion.  Its  legs  shot  out  from  the  stem  just 
like  smaller  branches,  but  I searched  in  vain  for  this 
animated  plant,  which  possibly  was  within  eyeshot  all 
the  while.  I have  also  seen  the  leaf  insect  on  the 
Penang  hills,  which  in  its  mimicry  so  imitates  the  leaf 
of  a plant  as  to  most  effectually  protect  it  from  harm. 
The  twig  and  the  leaf  insect  belong  to  the  order 
Orthoptera.  The  former  resembled,  most  of  its  kind, 
the  Bacteria  Sarmentosa , although  it  seemed  to  me  to 
be  longer,  more  slender,  and  of  a darker  colour.  Dried 
twig  insects  are  species  of  Phasma,  and  the  leaf  insect 
is,  I believe,  the  Phy Ilium  siccifolium.  Butterflies  and 
moths  in  every  variety  and  hue  are  also  to  be  found 
in  abundance,  fluttering  among  the  trees  and  flowering 
shrubs  in  the  sunshine,  where  the  forest  opens.  They 
vary  in  dimensions  from  a fraction  of  an  inch  to  io 
inches  or  1 2 inches  across  the  wings,  which  is  the  size 
attained  by  the  Atlas  moth,  ‘ Saturnia  Atlas.’  Flowers 
and  flowering  shrubs  or  trees  are  by  no  means  abun- 
dant, nor  are  their  hues  so  attractive,  in  any  part  of 
the  island,  as  to  come  up  to  one’s  preconceived  ideas 
respecting  the  wild  luxuriance  of  tropical  colouring  in 


6 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


which  scene-painters  revel  when  depicting  an  Eastern 
forest  or  jungle.  It  is  in  the  gardens  of  the  foreign 
residents,  on  the  hot  plain,  that  we  meet  with  the 
greatest  variety  of  indigenous  flowers,  glowing,  most 
of  them,  with  the  brilliant  primary  colours  which  seem 
to  me  to  characterise  the  flora  of  tropic  regions.  I 
should  single  out  red  and  yellow  as  predominating, 
while  all  those  secondary  or  mixed  colours  (excepting 
green)  which  exhibit  so  many  tender  touches  of  nature 
in  our  home  gardens,  are  conspicuous  by  their  absence 
from  these  sunny  climes. 

Perhaps  our  men  of  science  might  be  able  to  as- 
sign a cause  for  this,  and  to  tell  us  whether  the  heat  of 
the  oriental  sun  develops  in  flowering  plants  a craving 
for  the  absorption  of  certain  colours  of  the  solar  spec- 
trum, and  for  the  reflection  of  others  ; whether,  indeed, 
the  elective  affinities  of  plants  in  this  way  are  affected 
by  temperature.  Can  we,  in  the  same  way,  account 
for  the  brilliant  plumage  of  tropical  birds,  in  which 
homogeneous  red,  yellow,  and  blue,  are  very  con- 
spicuous, and  also  for  the  liking  which  uncultured 
eastern  races  show  for  the  reds,  blues,  and  yellows. 
Even  in  China  we  find  red  a token  of  rejoicing  (the 
bridal  costume),  while  over  India  and  China,  and  all 
Buddhist  countries,  the  sacred  priestly  robes  are  yellow  ; 
and  with  a number  of  the  races  of  India  and  Indo- 
China  the  yellow  golden  skin  is  esteemed  the  highest 
attribute  of  female  beauty.  In  China,  again,  blue 
betokens  slight  mourning,  and  white  or  the  absence 
of  colour  the  deepest  sorrow.  Be  that  as  it  may,  I 
believe  that  the  flowers  of  our  European  gardens  and 
woods,  can  boast  a greater  variety  and  delicacy  of 
colouring  than  those  to  be  found  in  any  tropical  lands 


THE  FOLIAGE  OF  PENANG. 


7 


I ever  visited.  The  hues  are  not  only  much  more 
varied,  but  in  temperate  latitudes  Dame  Nature  seems 
to  exhaust  her  resources  in  producing  an  infinite 
diversity  of  tints,  blended  together  with  such  mar- 
vellous delicacy  and  beauty,  as  to  appeal  to  the  ten- 
derest  feelings  of  the  most  cultured  races  of  mankind. 

The  foliage  of  the  island  of  Penang,  like  that  of  the 
majority  of  the  islands  of  the  Malayan  Archipelago,  is 
dense  and  luxuriant,  and  remarkable  more  for  its  variety 
of  form  than  for  its  different  shades  of  green.  The 
growth  of  grasses  and  jungle  in  this  region  is  so  rapid 
as  to  entail  the  constant  labour  of  the  husbandman  to 
prevent  their  overrunning  his  oldest  clearings.  I have 
seen  a sugar-field  on  Province  Wellesley,  which  had 
been  abandoned  for  little  over  twelve  months,  com- 
pletely overspread  with  jungle  ; and  were  Penang  for- 
saken by  the  British  to-morrow,  or  rather  by  its  Chinese 
cultivators,  it  would  relapse  in  an  incredibly  short  space 
of  time,  into  the  impenetrable  jungle  island  which 
Captain  Light  found  when  he  landed  there  in  1786. 
An  amusing  story  is  still  told  of  the  plan  hit  upon  by 
Captain  Light,  to  get  this  jungle  growth  in  part  cleared 
away.  He  loaded  his  guns,  so  the  tale  goes,  with 
silver  coins,  and  fired  them  into  the  thick  bush,  that  the 
Malays  might  be  tempted  to  make  clearings  in  their 
search  after  the  dollars.1 

The  rapidity  with  which  plants  will  grow  in  Penang 
is  truly  surprising.  I have  myself  watched  young 
stems  of  the  bamboo  shoot  up  over  a quarter  of  an 
inch  in  a single  night,  so  that  their  growth  is  all  but 
visible  to  the  naked  eye.  The  trailing  vines  and  jungle 


Our  Tropical  Possessions  in  Malayan  India.  Cameron. 


8 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


foliage  hang  over  the  rocks  in  long  festoons,  and  creep 
along  the  yellow  beach  to  crown  old  Neptune  with  a 
thousand  evergreen  wreaths. 

Many  of  these  plants  will  thrive  without  a grain  of 
soil.  Orchids,  of  course,  feed  on  air,  but  I have  seen 
forest  trees  rooted  on  a bare  rock,  and  flourishing  there 
as  vigorously  as  if  planted  in  some  rich  alluvial 
earth. 

Many  of  the  woods  found  on  the  Penang  hills  are 
exceedingly  hard  and  durable  ; their  specific  gravity  is 
great,  as  they  will  readily  sink  in  water.  Woods  of 
this  sort  are  used  by  the  Malays  and  Chinese  in  making 
anchors  for  their  praus  and  junks,  while  the  bamboo 
and  ratan  furnish  material  for  ropes,  or  not  unfre- 
quently  ready-made  cordage. 

There  are  about  a hundred  different  sorts  of  fruit 
grown  in  Penang,  but  the  Durian  and  Mangosteen  are 
by  far  the  most  famous  among,  them  and  may  indeed 
be  considered  the  two  most  delicious  fruits  of  Malayan 
India.  The  pine-apple,  custard-apple,  mango  and  pome- 
granate, and  some  of  the  other  varieties,  are  also 
too  well  known  to  require  description  here.  Of  the 
Pisang  or  plantain — probably  the  most  useful  and 
widely  distributed  of  all  tropical  fruits — there  are  over 
thirty  kinds,  of  which,  the  Pisang-mas,  or  golden  plan- 
tain, so  named  from  its  colour,  though  one  of  the 
smallest,  is  nevertheless  most  deservedly  prized. 

During  the  ten  months  I spent  in  Penang  and 
Province  Wellesley,  I was  chiefly  engaged  in  photo- 
graphy— a congenial,  profitable,  and  instructive  occupa- 
tion, enabling  me  to  gratify  my  taste  for  travel  and  to 
fill  my  portfolio,  as  I wandered  over  Penang  settlement 
and  the  mainland  hard  by,  with  an  attractive  series 


PHOTOGRAPHY. 


9 


of  characteristic  scenes  and  types,  which  were  in  con- 
stant demand  among  the  resident  European  population. 
I trained  two  Madras  men,  or  boys  as  they  were  called 
here,  to  act  as  my  printers  and  assistants,  the  Chinese 
having,  at  that  time,  refused  to  lend  themselves  to  such 


MALAYS  SELLING  DURIANS. 


devilry  as  taking  likenesses  of  objects  without  the 
touch  of  human  hands.  Moreover  they,  as  ‘ Orang 
puti  ’ or  ‘ White  men,’  shrunk  from  having  their  fingers 
and  much-prized  long  nails  stained  black,  like  those  of 
the  blackest  of  ‘ Orang  etam  ’ or  black  men.  My 


IO 


I ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Klings,  on  the  other  hand,  were  of  the  colour  of  a well- 
sunned  nitrate  of  silver  stain  all  over  ; and  had  they, 
who  even  pride  themselves  on  their  fairness  of  skin, 
objected  to  the  discoloration  of  their  fingers,  I should 
have  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  negroes  of  an  ivory 
black  in  this  small  island,  as  a wonderful  mixture  of 
races  is  to  be  found,  and  ‘ phases  of  faith  ’ as  multiform 
as  the  nationalities  are  diverse. 

Besides  the  English  residents,  who  comprise  the 
government  officials,  professional  men,  and  merchants, 
there  are  descendants  of  the  early  Portuguese  voyagers, 
Chinese,  Malays,  Parsees,  Arabs,  Armenians,  Klings, 
Bengalees,  and  negroes  from  Africa.  Besides  these,  the 
European  merchants  comprise  men  of  different  nation- 
alities. On  landing  from  the  steamer  it  is  difficult  to 
discover  that  one  is  actually  on  a Malayan  island.  We 
meet  one  or  two  Malays  squatted  beneath  the  trees 
selling  sugar-cane  or  ‘ Penang  lawyers  ’ (a  polished 
cane  with  a large  heavy,  egg-shaped  root),  but  there 
are  also  a host  of  Klings  in  charge  of  boats  and 
gharries  (cabs).  Dark,  sharp  and  active  are  these 
Klings,  without  a trace  of  calf  on  their  straight  limbs, 
and  yet  able  to  run  for  a whole  day  alongside  their 
diminutive  ponies  without  showing  a token  of  fatigue. 
These  men  oil  themselves  all  over  till  they  look  like 
varnished  bronze,  and  this  oiling  may  account  for  their 
suppleness.  All  of  them  speak  Malay,  and  some  know 
a little  English.  I remember  one,  who,  in  his  eagerness 
for  a hire  offered  to  drive  me  to  the  devil  for  a dollar. 
From  his  appearance  I declined  the  offer,  almost  fancy- 
ing myself  in  the  presence  of  his  sable  majesty!  or  his 
washerman,  already. 

At  Georgetown,  on  the  north-west,  opposite  the 


THE  NATIVES. 


f r 

mainland,  there  is  a Kling  bazaar  where  all  sorts  of 
foreign  commodities  are  sold,  and  at  prices  which  rarely 
exceed  the  sums  they  can  be  bought  for,  in  the  countries 
where  they  are  manufactured.  There  are  also  a number 
of  grog-shops  and  lodging-houses.  The  town  contains, 
besides,  a large  Chinese  population,  made  up  of  mer- 
chants, shopkeepers,  and  handicraftsmen,  immigrants 


MAI. AY  BOY. 


from  the  island  of  Hainan,  Kwangtung,  and  from  the 
several  districts  of  the  Fukien  province.  These  men  are 
the  most  successful  traders  and  patient  toilers  in  the  East. 
We  could  not  do  without  them  in  our  Malayan  posses- 
sions, and  yet  they  are  difficult  members  of  society  to 
manage.  To  convey  some  idea  of  their  usefulness,  I 
need  only  say,  that  they  can  make  anything  required  by 


12 


I ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


a European ; and  in  trade  they  are  indispensable  to  us, 
as  they  have  established  connections  in  almost  all  the 
islands  to  which  our  foreign  commodities  are  carried. 
Their  agents  reside  in  Sumatra,  Borneo,  and  on  the 
Indo-Chinese  mainland,  collecting  produce  by  barter 
with  the  natives,  to  whom  they  are  not  'infrequently 
related  by  social,  as  well  as  by  commercial  ties.  In 
this  way  much  of  the  produce  shipped  from  Penang  to 
England  and  other  foreign  countries,  passes  through 
the  hands  of  Chinese  middle-men. 

Then  again,  the  European  merchant  at  almost  all 
the  Eastern  ports  finds  it  indispensable  to  have  in  his 
employment  a Chinese  comprador,  or  treasurer,  who 
not  only  pays  for  produce,  and  receives  and  collects 
moneys  on  behalf  of  the  firm,  but  is  also  responsible 
for  the  weight  and  purity  of  the  silver  in  which  pay- 
ments have  been  made.  Under  him  he  has  assistants 
called  schroffs,  trained  to  detect  spurious  coin,  and  who 
display  in  this  matter  a keenness  of  perception  which 
is  puzzling  to  a European  ; for  the  schroff  sees  readily 
at  a single  glance,  and  picks  out  from  among  the 
heap  of  dollars,  some  doubtful  coin  which  he  himself, 
however  expert,  would  have  failed  to  discover.  But  as 
we  shall  see  hereafter,  some  of  these  schroffs  have 
received  their  education  at  the  hands  of  the  counterfeit 
coiners  and  doctors  of  dollars  in  China.  The  com- 
prador hires  the  labourers  who  load  and  discharge 
ships,  and  also  with  the  aid  of  his  staff  frequently  acts 
as  broker  in  buying  and  selling  for  the  firm.  He  is 
also  useful  in  discovering  the  standing  of  Chinese  firms, 
and  in  procuring  for  his  employer  office  and  domestic 
servants,  for  whose  good  conduct  he  will  hold  himsell 
personally  responsible.  He  has  seldom  any  trouble  on 


CHINESE  IMMIGRANTS. 


13 


this  score,  as  the  men  he  has  about  him  and  employs 
are  of  his  own  clan,  and  are  most  loyal  to  their  chiet. 

I have  no  doubt,  however,  that  this  loyalty  is  as  often 
due  to  the  dread  influence  of  the  congsees,  or  secret 
societies  to  which  comprador  and  men  belong,  as  to 
the  strong  ties  of  kindred  which  are  also  esteemed  by 
the  Chinese. 

It  will  be  conceded,  then,  that  the  comprador  must 
be  a man  endowed  with  an  undoubted  capacity  for 
business.  He  is  indeed,  in  his  way,  the  model  trader 
of  the  East,  and  to  such  men  as  he,  we  owe  much  of 
our  commercial  success  in  these  islands.  He  is,  as  a 
rule,  thoroughly  to  be  relied  upon.  He  lives  temper- 
ately, and  at  all  times  has  his  trading  wits  about 
him.  Yet  he  never  appears  other  than  a leisure- 
loving,  fat,  prosperous  personage,  who,  as  Mr.  Wal- 
lace truly  remarks,  ‘grows  richer  and  fatter  every 
year.’ 

A walk  through  the  streets  of  George  Town  will  dis- 
close still  further  the  important  position  which  Chinese 
labour  occupies  in  Penang.  There  we  find  carpenters, 
blacksmiths,  tailors,  and  indeed  artisans  of  every  kind, 
busily  plying  their  handicrafts  in  open  shops,  or  be- 
neath the  shade  of  wayside  trees.  All  over  the  island, 
too,  Chinese  are  scattered  as  planters,  squatters,  and 
tillers  of  the  soil ; some  of  them,  who  have  long  been 
settled  in  the  place,  and  who  have  wedded  native 
wives,  dwell  in  large  and  elegant  houses  environed 
with  fruit  and  flower-gardens,  while  their  humble 
toiling  brethren  live  in  rude  huts,  built  of  bamboo  and 
palm  leaves,  in  the  centre  of  their  small  vegetable 
gardens  or  pepper  plantations ; and  to  outward  ap- 
pearance the  latter  are  the  most  patient,  industrious. 

3 


T4 


IN  DO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  contented  cultivators  to  be  met  with  on  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  But  they  are  not  without  ambition,  as  we 
shall  see  by-and-by.  The  Chinaman  out  of  his  own 
country,  enjoying  the  security  and  prosperity  which  a 
more  liberal  administration  confers,  seems  to  develop 
into  something  like  a new  being.  No  longer  chained 
to  the  soil  by  the  iron  fetters  of  a despotic  government, 


CHINESE  COOLIE. 

he  finds  wide  scope  for  his  energies,  and  high  rewards 
for  his  industry.  But  the  love  of  combinations,  of  the 
guilds  and  unions  in  which  all  Chinamen  delight, 
tempts  them  too  far.  They  first  combine  among  them- 
selves to  get  as  much  out  of  each  other  as  they  possibly 
can,  and  when  practicable  to  monopolise  trade  and 
rule  the  markets  ; and  then,  feeling  the  strength  of  their 


CHINESE  CLANS  AND  GUILDS . 


*5 


own  organisation,  the  societies  set  up  laws  for  the  rule 
and  protection  of  their  members,  and  in  defiance  of  the 
local  government.  The  congsee,  or  guild,  thus  drifts 
from  a purely  commercial  into  a semi-mercantile  semi- 
political league,  and  more  than  once  has  menaced  the 
power  of  petty  states,  by  making  efforts  to  throw  off 
the  yoke  which  rested  so  lightly  on  its  shoulders.  The 
disturbances  at  Perak  are  the  latest  development  of 
this  tendency,  and  we  have  had  many  previous  in- 
stances of  the  same  insubordination  in  Penang,  and 
elsewhere.  Nor  are  these  the  only  dangers  : the  feuds 
of  the  immigrants  are  imported  with  them,  and  break 
out  again  as  soon  as  they  have  set  foot  on  foreign  soil. 
Thus,  in  Penang  not  long  ago  there  were  two  Chinese 
societies,  known  as,  if  I remember  aright,  the  Hilum 
and  Hokien  congsees,  that  is  the  Hainan  and  Fukien 
societies.  The  members  of  the  one  were  all  men  from 
the  island  of  Hainan  in  Kwangtung,  and  the  others 
men  from  the  Fukien  province.  The  two  provinces 
are  said,  at  an  early  period  in  Chinese  history,  to  have 
formed  independent  states,  and  the  dialects  spoken 
are  still  so  widely  different,  that  natives  of  Kwang- 
tung are  looked  upon  by  the  lower  orders  in  the 
Fukien  country  as  foreigners.  I was  present  on 
one  occasion  in  Penang  at  a village  which,  on  the 
previous  night,  had  been  sacked  and  burned  by  the 
members  of  an  opposing  clan,  and  it  required  strong 
measures  on  the  part  of  the  government  to  put  down 
these  faction  fights. 

This  is  the  sort  of  village  warfare  which,  as  we 
shall  see  when  we  reach  the  ‘ Flowery  Land,’  the  im- 
perial government  in  the  south  of  China  has  at  times 
been  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  suppress.  In  the 


i6 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


neighbourhood  of  Swatow,  for  example,  the  village 
clans  were  brought  into  subjection  to  the  authorities 
only  about  three  years  ago,  by  a process  of  wholesale 
slaughter,  recalling  the  summary  dealings  in  1663  (Java- 
nese era),  when  the  Chinese  attempted  to  overthrow  the 
power  of  the  Dutch  government  in  Java.  A Javanese 
native  historian  says  of  the  Chinese:1  ‘Their  hearts 
swell  as  they  grow  richer,  and  quarrels  ensue.’  It  has 
therefore  always  been  a difficult  matter  in  these  islands 
to  deal  with  the  Chinese  immigrants.  Sir  Stamford 
Raffles  found  it  so  during  the  period  of  his  enlightened 
administration ; and  the  recent  disturbances,  which  I 
propose  to  notice  in  another  chapter,  only  confirm  his 
remark  that  ‘ The  ascendancy  of  the  Chinese  requires 
to  be  cautiously  guarded  against  and  restrained.’ 2 

This  is  a question  which,  of  late  years,  has  been 
forcing  itself  upon  the  attention  of  the  United  States 
government.  They  must  either  restrain  the  tide  of 
Chinese  emigration  which  has  set  in  upon  their  shores, 
or  amend  their  constitutional  laws,  and  adopt  some  less 
liberal,  though  perhaps  more  enlightened  form  of  special 
administration,  enabling  them  to  deal  satisfactorily  with 
a people  who  bring  to  their  doors  habits  of  toiling 
industry,  the  cheapest  and  most  efficient  labour,  but 
import  at  the  same  time  turbulent  tempers,  an  ob- 
jectionable religion,  and  some  of  the  grossest  vices 
that  can  stain  the  human  race.  In  Penang,  where 
there  are  few,  or  almost  no  competitors  in  the  various 
occupations  in  which  the  Chinese  engage,  and  where 
their  vices  break  out  in  a milder  form,  the  difficulty 
presses  more  lightly.  There  the  Chinese,  when  pro- 


1 Raffles’  History  of  Java,  ii.  233. 


Ibid.  i.  253. 


CHINESE  LABOUR. 


i? 

perly  restrained,  are  the  most  useful  and  most  indispen- 
sable members  of  society.  True,  they  smoke  opium, 
they  lie  without  restraint,  and  whenever  opportunity 
offers  are  dishonest,  cunning,  and  treacherous ; but  for 
all  that,  those  of  them  who  have  risen  to  positions 
of  trust  forsake  their  vices  altogether,  or — what  is 
more  probable — conceal  them  with  Chinese  artfulness. 

Should  you,  my  reader,  ever  settle  in  Penang,  you 
will  there  be  introduced  to  a Chinese  contractor,  who 
will  sign  a document  to  do  anything.  His  costume 
will  tell  you  that  he  is  a man  of  inexpensive,  yet 
cleanly  habits.  He  will  build  you  a house  after  any 
design  you  choose,  and  within  so  many  days,  subject 
to  a fine  should  he  exceed  the  stipulated  time.  He 
will  furnish  you  with  a minute  specification,  in  which 
everything,  to  the  last  nail,  will  be  included.  He  has 
a brother  who  will  contract  to  make  every  article 
of  furniture  you  require,  either  from  drawings  or  from 
models.  He  has  another  brother  who  will  fit  you  and 
your  good  lady  with  all  sorts  of  clothing,  and  yet  a 
third  relative  who  will  find  servants,  and  contract  to 
supply  you  with  all  the  native  and  European  delicacies 
in  the  market,  upon  condition  that  his  monthly  bills 
are  regularly  honoured. 

It  is  indeed  to  Chinamen  that  the  foreign  resident 
is  indebted  for  almost  all  his  comforts,  and  for  the 
profusion  of  luxuries  which  surround  his  wonderfully 
European-looking  home  on  this  distant  island.  At 
the  fiat  of  his  master,  Ahong,  the  Chinese  butler,  daily 
spreads  the  table  with  substantial  fare,  with  choice 
fruits  and  pleasant  flowers — the  attributes  of  that  lavish 
hospitality  which  is  the  pride  of  our  merchants  in  that 
quarter  of  the  globe. 


18  IND  O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

There  is  a large  Malay  population  on  the  island, 
greater  than  the  Chinese.  It  is,  however,  a much 
more  difficult  task  to  point  out  how  they  are  all  occu- 
pied, as  they  do  not  practise  any  trades  or  professions, 
and  there  are  no  merchants  among  them.  Some  are 
employed  on  plantations  catching  beetles,  pruning  the 
trees,  and  tilling  the  soil  ; but,  on  the  whole,  the 
Malays  do  as  little  work  as  possible ; some  own  small 


A CHINESE  CONTRACTOR. 


gardens,  and  rear  fruit ; others  are  sailors,  and  have 
sea-going  prahus,  in  which  Chinese  trade.  But  I do 
not  recollect  ever  seeing  a single  genuine  Malay  mer- 
chant. There  are  Malay  campongs  (villages)  scattered 
over  the  island,  made  up  of  a few  rude  bamboo  huts, 
and  two  or  three  clusters  of  fruit-trees.  But  many  of 
these  settlements  are  by  the  sea  shore,  and  there  they 
dwell,  fishing  a little,  sleeping  a great  deal,  but  always, 


*A  NEW  TYPE  OF  MAN. 


*9 


awake  or  asleep,  as  I believe,  chewing  a mixture  of 
betel-nut,  lime,  and  siri,  which  distends  the  mouth, 
reddens  the  lips,  and  encases  the  teeth  with  a crust  of 
solid  black. 

There  are  still  another  class  of  inhabitants  who  are 
the  direct  or  mixed  descendants  of  Europeans.  Some 


A NEW  TYPE  OF  MAN. 


of  these,  though  claiming  European  descent,  are  darker, 
and  I should  say  in  every  way  inferior  to  the  natives 
themselves.  Not  many  days  after  setting  foot  in  the 
island  I was  accosted  by  a pigmy  specimen  of  the 
human  race,  who  declared  himself  to  be  of  Portuguese 


20 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


extraction.  His  features  were  remarkable  for  the 
absence  of  any  bad  expression,  and  there  were  at  the 
same  time  no  good  traits  lurking  anywhere  in  his  dark 
physiognomy.  His  dress  presented  a strange  but  cha- 
racteristic compromise  between  that  of  the  European, 
the  Chinese,  and  the  Malay  ; his  head  was  surmounted 
by  a chimney-pot  beaver  hat,  only  prevented  from 
acting  as  an  extinguisher  by  a wedge  formed  of  red 
cotton  cloth.  As  I was  a stranger,  he  politely  offered 
to  introduce  me  to  his  circle  of  acquaintances,  who,  he 
said,  were  all  Europeans  like  himself.  I felt  puzzled  to 
determine  what  constituted  him  a European,  and  was 
forced  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  the  beaver  hat. 

Naturalists  tell  us  that  long  residence  in  a certain 
region  is  apt  to  transform  the  physical  appearance  oi 
an  animal  or  insect,  but  when  found  it  is  at  once  recog- 
nised by  certain  attributes  of  its  family ; and  so  it 
seemed  to  me  in  this  case ; the  transforming  influence 
of  long  residence  had  left  not  a semblance  of  the 
original  Portuguese  parent  save  the  uncompromisingly 
respectable  hat.  The  only  other  relic  of  the  civilising 
influence  of  the  early  Portuguese  voyagers  I discovered 
in  the  name  ‘ Da  Costa,’  which  turned  out  to  be  that 
borne  by  my  little  friend.  Da  Costa  has  been  de 
scribed  as  a type  of  men  constantly  to  be  met  with  in 
the  islands,  and  at  points  on  the  Indo-Chinese  and 
Chinese  mainland — the  result  of  a complicated  mixture 
of  Asiatic  and  European  blood. 

On  the  other  hand,  at  all  these  places  there  exists  a 
large  and  highly  respectable  community,  the  educated 
descendants  of  Europeans.  Among  them  are  govern- 
ment servants,  merchants,  and  professional  men,  justly 
proud  of  the  position  they  occupy  ; and  whose  wives 


A SNAKE  AT  A BALL. 


2 1 


and  daughters  are,  many  of  them,  ornaments  to  society, 
and  boast  a beauty  which  would  be  prized  in  any  part 
of  the  world.  This  beauty,  however,  is  swift  to  decay ; 
like  garden  flowers  which  shoot  up  into  early  maturity, 
and  throw  all  their  vitality  into  one  brilliant  effort  of 
glorious  colouring,  suddenly  it  bursts  forth  and  suddenly 
it  languishes  and  passes  away. 

The  men  are  frequently  of  very  sallow  complexion. 
I have  a lively  recollection  of  one  who  made  an  unfair 
impression  on  me.  He  had  been  educated  in  Calcutta. 
I was  green  at  the  time.  This  self-introduced  gentle- 
man extended  his  hospitality  so  far  as  to  invite  me  to 
a dinner  at  the  baths,  which  lie  at  the  foot  of  the 
Penang  hills.  One  or  two  of  his  friends,  of  equall) 
sallow  and  pasty  skins,  and  appalling  gastronomic 
powers,  were  included  in  the  convivial  party. 

The  entertainment  on  the  whole  was  enjoyable,  and 
to  me  new  ; but  the  reader  may  judge  of  my  surprise 
when,  two  or  three  days  subsequently,  I received  a bill 
for  the  entire  feast. 

The  introduction  of  a snake  fifteen  feet  long  into  a 
room  full  of  dancers  was  perhaps  the  most  extraor- 
dinary experience  I ever  had  on  any  festive  gathering. 
The  event  happened  at  a ball  given  by  Mr.  C.,  a 
gentleman  who  had  been  educated  in  Scotland,  and  fell 
out  in  this  wise.  My  friend  lived  on  a small  plantation, 
and  had  for  some  time  past  been  troubled  by  the  noc- 
turnal raids  of  this  snake,  which  had  swallowed  a pig, 
and  was  gradually  clearing  his  fowl-house.  A number 
of  natives  had  been  on  the  watch,  and  had  just  captured 
the  reptile,  coiled  up  in  a comatose  state  among  the 
shrubs.  The  Malays,  rarely  excited,  unless  when  fight- 
ing, or  1 running  Amok,’  and  knowing  there  was  no 


22 


I ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


danger,  as  the  snake  was  overcome  by  the  process  of 
digesting  a savoury  meal,  determined,  in  a fit  of  frantic 
joy,  to  lay  the  trophy  at  their  master’s  feet.  They  had 
it  by  the  tail,  and  dragging  it  to  the  sound  of  quadrille 
music  thump,  thump,  up  the  wide  staircase,  rushed 
into  the  drawing-room  and  laid  the  monster  down. 

Motionless  it  gazed  around  upon  the  strange  scene, 
and  probably  speculated  on  the  prospect  of  still  more 
sumptuous  fare,  could  it  only  command  its  wonted 
energy  and  crush  its  entertainers  in  its  slimy  coil. 
Some  of  the  gentlemen  retired  with  strange  celerity ; 
others  displayed  their  gallantry  and  daring  behind  a 
barricade  of  chairs  ; while  a few  stood  their  ground, 
supporting  their  terror-stricken  partners,  as  the  unwel- 
come intruder  was  hauled  off  to  expiate  his  crime  in 
the  court  below. 


CHAPTER  II. 


A Visit  to  Ouedah — Miden  missing — The  Rajah’s  Garden — Province 
Wellesley — Sugar  and  Tapioca  Planting — Field  Labour — A baffled 
Tiger — Wild  Men — An  Adventure  in  Province  Wellesley. 

An  officer  in  Penang  being  about  to  visit  the  Rajah  of 
Ouedah,  and  to  hand  over  to  that  sovereign’s  tender 
care  a number  of  objectionable  fugitives,  who,  quitting 
his  dominions,  had  taken  shelter  beneath  the  British 
flag,  and  sought  a precarious  livelihood  by  murder 
and  pillage,  invited  me  to  accompany  his  mission  in  a 
small  government  steamer.  It  was  but  a short  run 
across  the  Straits,  and  about  sixty  miles  to  the  north  of 
Penang  along  the  coast ; and  on  the  way  we  touched  at 
‘ Pulo  Tulure,’  or  Egg  Island,  one  of  a group  of  islets, 
and  the  one  which  the  turtles  have  chosen,  in  preference 
to  all  the  others,  as  a repository  for  their  eggs.  On 
Pulo  Tulure  is  a single  hut,  and  close  to  the  sea  beach 
dwell  two  Malays,  set  there  to  look  after  the  turtles  and 
to  collect  in  sackloads  the  eggs  which  they  deposit  at 
certain  seasons  of  the  year.  A single  deal  table  and 
a few  sacks  appeared  to  make  up  the  entire  furniture 
of  the  hut ; and  the  Malays  solemnly  declared,  as  faith- 
ful children  of  Islam,  that  there  was  no  stopping  the 
turtles  when  they  did  commence  to  lay.  That  they 
first  covered  the  beach,  which  shone  like  a pearl  with 
their  eggs,  and  that  then  the  two  inmates  of  the  hut 


24 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


had  to  squat  on  the  table,  in  order  that  the  turtles 
might  lay  the  residue  of  their  offerings  beneath  its 
square  wooden  legs ; the  whole  process  being  carried 
through,  so  they  represented,  in  a quiet  business-like 
manner  by  these  strange  creatures  of  the  deep.  They 
even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  a sort  of  mutual  ac- 
quaintance had  sprung  up,  and  that  the  turtles  would 
strike  to  a turtle,  and  refuse  to  deposit  a single  egg,  it 
any  stranger  were  to  settle  upon  the  island,  in  hope  of 
robbing  their  faithful  Rajah  of  this  deep-sea  tribute. 
‘ Banyak  pandie,  orang  Malaiu  ’ (cunning  Malays  !)  said 
my  Kling  servant. 

They  sold  us  a sackload  of  the  eggs,  which  are 
esteemed  a great  delicacy  by  the  natives.  They  are 
globose  in  form,  equal  in  bulk  to  a large  duck’s-egg,  and 
are  covered  by  a tough  opalescent  whitish-blue  skin. 

It  seems  strange  that  the  turtle  should  always  show 
so  marked  a preference  for  this  island.  Although  the 
eggs  are  removed  in  great  quantities,  they  never  desert 
it  for  another. 

The  occupation  of  collecting  turtle-eggs  is  one  pre- 
eminently suited  to  the  Malay,  for  in  them  they  have 
genuine  marketable  articles  deposited  at  their  feet, 
without  any  trouble  at  all,  free  of  charge.  Rice  requires 
labour  for  its  cultivation,  it  is  a long  time  in  growing, 
and  after  that  it  still  has  to  be  reaped  ; even  the  cocoa- 
nut  palm,  which  supplies  food  and  fuel,  takes  years  to 
rear  its  stately  head  and  drop  its  treasures  into  its 
owner’s  lap.  But  the  turtle  (and  no  one  need  wonder) 
is  held  in  veneration  by  the  leisure-loving  Asiatic,  as  it 
brings  food  to  his  table  ready-made. 

At  the  time  of  our  visit  to  Pulo  Tulure  we  saw  a 
number  of  turtles  swimming  about.  The  sea  was  of  a 


A VILLAGE  GAMBLING-HOUSE. 


25 


pure  pale  green  hue,  so  clear  and  so  placid  that  we 
could  discern  the  marine  plants  and  variously-tinted 
corals,  on  the  rocks  some  fathoms  below — a scene 
only  rivalled  in  brilliancy  by  the  vivid  colours  of  a 
tropical  flower-garden.  A Malay  boy  caught  a huge 
turtle  for  us.  The  capture  was  simply  and  deftly 
effected.  He  quietly  slipped  into  the  water,  and  swam 
round  until  fairly  behind  his  unsuspecting  prize.  Then 
seizing  it  by  the  shell  he  turned  it  over  on  its  back, 
and  in  this  position  floated  it  quite  powerless  on  to  the 
beach. 

One  morning  at  Ouedah  my  boy  Miden  disappeared. 
He  had  gone  ashore  early,  and  for  some  hours  I 
anxiously  awaited  his  return,  but  all  in  vain  ; until  at 
last,  my  patience  being  fairly  exhausted,  I landed  with 
my  friend,  and  after  long  search  discovered  the  absentee 
in  a village  gambling-house,  engaged  in  a violent  alter- 
cation. 

I dragged  him  at  once  out  of  the  den,  but  not  with- 
out encountering  considerable  opposition,  for  the  place 
was  filled  with  Malays,  and  they,  excited  by  their  gains 
or  losses,  clutched  their  krises  (daggers)  and  made 
ready  to  resist  this  sudden  interference.  However  a 
quiet  explanation,  backed  by  the  appearance  of  my 
friend,  and  a party  of  men  from  the  boat,  restored  order. 
I then  found  that  Miden,  with  a few  touches  of  fancy, 
not  altogether  foreign  to  the  Indian  mind,  had  been 
passing  himself  off  as  a man  of  considerable  importance, 
in  fact  as  a Hindoo  of  very  high  caste.  The  Malays, 
who  are  usually  gentlemen  in  points  of  honour,  at  once 
conceded  that,  under  the  circumstances,  I had  a perfect 
right  to  intervene ; and  harmony  being  thus  secured, 
they  displayed  sundry  tokens  of  their  good-will  by 


26 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


entering  freely  into  conversation,  and  exhibiting  their 
krises  for  my  inspection.  These  krises  many  of  them 
have  beautifully  carved  handles, while  the  blades,  formed 
of  iron  and  steel  welded  together,  spring  from  the  hafts 
in  waved  edges,  and  terminate  in  poisoned  points. 

My  readers  doubtless  know  that  ‘ Amok  running’ 
is  not  uncommon  among  the  Malay  tribes,  but  I am 
thankful  to  say  that  I never  actually  witnessed  this 
bloodthirsty  revenge,  which  a single  frantic  Malay 
will  sometimes  wreak  on  society.  I can  conceive  of 
nothing  in  human  shape  more  formidable,  nothing 
more  fiend-like,  than  a Malay,  trained  to  the  fatal  use 
of  the  kris,  in  his  last  outbreak  of  passion,  dealing  out 
indiscriminate  slaughter.  Yet  the  Malay,  in  his  normal 
condition,  is  the  most  social,  placid,  and  tender-hearted 
of  Asiatics. 

The  Rajah  of  Quedah  is  a young  man,  a fine  speci- 
men of  his  race  ; his  looks  are  full  of  intelligence  ; and 
indeed,  since  the  date  of  my  visit,  he  has  proved  him- 
self to  be  a wise  and  careful  ruler,  and  has  earned  the 
good  opinion  both  of  his  own  subjects  and  his  foreign 
allies.  Thus  it  was  only  the  other  day,  when  the 
Laroot  troubles  threatened  to  spread,  that  he  adopted 
the  most  prompt  and  successful  measures  for  the  sup- 
pression of  piracy,  at  any  rate,  in  the  dominions  under 
his  own  control.  The  palace  where  he  resides  is  a 
brick  edifice  of  modest  proportions  ; and  there  is  an 
excellent  road,  some  miles  in  extent,  which  leads  from 
the  Rajah’s  quarters  to  his  pleasure-gardens.  These 
gardens,  though  covering  a small  area,  boasted  a 
variety  of  products  and  elegance  of  horticultural  de- 
sign, unsurpassed  by  any  which  I have  seen  in  the 
East. 


THE  RAJAH  OF  QUEDAH. 


27 


In  one  orange-grove  the  trees  were  so  laden  with 
fruit  that  the  boughs  would  have  broken  unless  sup- 
ported by  strong  bamboo  stakes,  and  the  balmy  air 
was  steeped  in  the  aroma  of  the  oranges  and  sweet 
perfume  of  the  lotus  in  full  bloom.  The  Rajah  had 
tried  in  vain  to  cultivate  the  grape-vine.  His  vines 
grew,  but  the  grapes  never  reached  maturity.  We 
were  driven  to  this  beautiful  retreat  in  a handsome 
carriage  of  European  make. 

When  steaming  down  the  Ouedah  river  we  noticed 
a score  of  young  alligators  swimming  in  line  upstream, 
and  we  also  had  the  good  fortune  of  a passing  shot  at 
as  many  more  full-grown  monsters,  as  they  lay  out  in 
the  sun  on  a long  spit  of  sand.  Muddy  in  colour, 
they,  with  their  .long  jagged  spines,  were  only  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  withered  leaves  of  the  cocoa- 
palm,  imbedded  in  the  bank,  by  a very  close  inspec- 
tion. 

Province  Wellesley  lies  opposite  to  Penang,  on  the 
mainland  of  the  Malayan  peninsula.  It  is  about  thirty 
miles  long,  and  from  five  to  eleven  miles  in  breadth. 
This  district  is,  at  present,  the  most  productive  in  the 
Straits,  exporting  annually  a very  large  quantity  ol 
sugar,  tapioca,  and  rice.  It  adjoins  Ouedah,  and  was 
formerly  included  in  the  Rajah’s  dominions,  and  was 
purchased  by  the  British  government  in  1800.  It  con- 
tains a large  Malayan  population,  but  most  of  the  hard 
work  is  done  by  Chinese  labourers,  or  by  Klings  from 
the  coast  of  Coromandel. 

The  Chinese  planters  were  the  first  who  reared  the 
cane,  and  refined  the  sugar  in  quantities  sufficient  to 
make  it  a leading  article  of  export ; but  European 
science  has  long  superseded  the  rude  refining  pro- 


28 


I ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


cesses  of  the  less  expert  Chinese,  and  European  capital 
has  been  invested  to  such  an  enormous  extent  in  estab- 
lishing plantations,  as  practically  to  shut  out  all  but 
the  most  skilful  and  wealthy  competitors. 

The  sugar  plantations  of  the  Europeans  are  spread 
over  a wide  area  ; indeed,  they  cover  the  major  portion 
of  the  cultivated  lands  of  the  province.  Each  planta- 
tion occupies  some  square  miles  of  tilled  land,  and  in 
some  part  of  the  estate  there  is  usually  a steam  crush- 
ing-mill, and  a refinery,  where  an  efficient  staff  of 
European  engineers  are  kept  constantly  employed. 

Canes  of  many  different  varieties  have  been  im- 
ported into  the  Province,  but  (those  from  the  Mauritius 
excepted)  none  are  found  to  thrive  so  well,  or  yield  so 
high  a percentage  of  juice,  as  the  reputed  indigenous 
species.  Of  these  there  are  reported  to  be  six  different 
kinds,  and  one  or  two  of  them  I have  found  growing 
wild  in  the  jungle.  The  sugar-cane  takes  many 
months  to  mature  after  it  has  been  planted ; but 
the  crops,  whenever  possible,  are  so  timed  as  to  come 
in  in  rotation,  so  that  the  mills  may  be  kept  constantly 
at  work. 

A quantity  of  cane  is  also  raised  by  the  Malays 
and  Chinese,  and  this  the  growers  sell  at  the  mills  for 
a stipulated  price  per  acre. 

When  I was  in  Province  Wellesley,  many  of  the 
planters  and  engineers  were  big  brawny  men  from  the 
lowlands  of  Scotland.  I spent  altogether  six  weeks  in 
their  company,  and  I still  look  back  with  pleasure  to  a 
visit  which  introduced  me  to  a constant  variety  of 
adventure  and  sport,  and  to  so  much  of  the  warm 
hospitality  for  which  my  countrymen  have  always  been 
famed. 


SUGAR  AND  TAPIOCA. 


29 


In  addition  to  sugar-growing,  the  planters  have 
brought  many  of  the  less  fertile  tracts  of  land  under 
cultivation  for  tapioca — a hardy  plant  capable  of  grow- 
ing in  almost  any  soil,  ;ind  requiring  less  trenching  and 
manuring  than  sugar. 

In  some  places  they  alternate  the  crops,  or  rather 
plant  tapioca  after  sugar,  and  then  allow  the  land  to 
lie  fallow  for  a time. 

The  plant  throws  up  a few  long  woody  stems  and 
large  bright-green  leaves,  but  it  is  from  the  root  that 
the  tapioca  is  obtained. 

This  root  resembles  most  the  Indian  yam,  or  a 
huge  potato,  and  in  outward  appearance  is  as  unlike  the 
snow-white  delicate  food  it  produces  as  coal  to  the 
flame  it  feeds,  or  tar  to  the  brilliant  dyes  it  yields.  The 
roots  are  dug  up  when  ripe,  and  conveyed  to  the  wash- 
ing-house to  be  brushed  and  rinsed  in  water  by 
machinery.  This  process  completed,  they  are  passed 
by  an  ingenious  contrivance  into  a grating  machine, 
which  reduces  them  to  a brown  watery  pulp,  and  this 
pulp  is  then  removed  by  ducts  into  troughs,  where  the 
fibrous  matter  and  skin  are  separated  from  the  flour, 
and  the  tapioca  is  next  passed  into  tanks  of  water. 

Workmen  go  bodily  into  these  tanks,  stirring  up 
the  solution  with  their  limbs.  At  the  end  of  this 
operation  the  flour  is  allowed  to  precipitate  to  the 
bottom  of  the  tank  ; the  water  is  then  drained  off,  and 
the  cakes  of  tapioca,  after  sundry  washings,  precipita- 
tions, and  cleansings,  are  dried  in  iron  pans,  much  in 
the  same  way  as  tea,  and  finally  prepared  for  market. 

The  planters  in  Province  Wellesley  lead  rough  and 
arduous  lives.  They  have  many  troubles  to  contend 
against,  not  merely  in  managing  their  estates,  but  in 

4 


32 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


many  such  men  in  my  travels,  and  though  I do  not 
sympathise  with  the  religion  which  they  preach,  I have 
always  admired  their  self-sacrificing  devotion.  Protes- 
tant missionaries  one  meets  with  nearly  everywhere, 
many  of  them  of  equal  zeal  with  their  Roman  Catholic 
fellow-labourers,  but  their  chief  spheres  of  action  are  situ- 
ated at  the  ports  and  places  of  European  resort,  more 


MALAY  HUT. 


frequently  than  in  the  hearts  of  the  countries  they  have 
set  themselves  to  convert. 

As  I have  already  stated,  the  supplies  of  labour 
employed  in  tilling  the  fields,  and  in  the  various  pro- 
cesses connected  with  the  cultivation  and  manufacture 
of  sugar,  are  chiefly  obtained  from  the  Coromandel 
coast  in  the  Madras  presidency,  where  agreements 
are  usually  drawn  up  whereby  the  men  engage  to 


KLING  COOLIES. 


33 


serve  on  the  estates  for  a certain  term,  at  a fixed 
monthly  wage.  On  the  expiration  of  the  original  term 
of  agreement,  the  coolies  are  at  liberty  either  to  renew 
the  contract  or  return  to  their  native  province.  Many 
of  them  choose  to  remain  upon  the  plantations — a fact 
which  speaks  well  for  the  treatment  they  receive  at  the 
hands  of  their  employers.  Chinese  are  also  used  by 
the  planters,  although  more  sparingly,  as  the  gangs  of 
coolies  are  imported  by  Chinese  capitalists,  and  only 
to  be  hired  through  a headman,  who  contracts  to  do  a 
certain  amount  of  tillage  at  a price  fixed  according  to 
area.  The  Chinese  are  stronger,  healthier,  and  better 
workmen,  although  they  require  better  food,  and  do 
not  perhaps  stand  prolonged  exposure  to  the  hot  sun 
so  well  as  the  natives  of  India,  and  the  price  of  their 
labour  is  consequently  too  high  to  enable  them  to 
compete  successfully  with  the  Klings ; and  moreover, 
planters  are  not  always  in  a position  to  have  their 
work  done  by  the  piece,  nor  are  the  guild-ridden 
Chinese  so  easily  dealt  with  as  their  darker  brothers  in 
the  field. 

There  are  many  Malays  in  Province  Wellesley, 
but  they  do  not  work  on  the  plantations,  and  indeed  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  say  how  one-twentieth  part  of 
the  Malay  population  occupies  itself.  As  Mahometans 
they  practise  circumcision,  and  recite  frequent  prayers. 
The  rest  of  their  lives  they  seem  to  spend  in  rearing 
large  families  to  follow  their  fathers’  example,  and  to 
wait  lazily  for  such  subsistence  as  the  bounty  of  nature 
may  provide.  The  male  Malay,  in  his  own  country,  is 
a sort  of  gentleman,  who  keeps  aloof  from  trade, 
whose  pride  is  in  his  ever-ready  kris,  with  its  finely 
polished  handle,  and  its  pointed  poisoned  blade.  His 


34 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ancestors,  some  of  them,  knew  well  how  to  use  that 
kris  both  on  land  and  sea.  There  are  a few  timid 
woolly-haired  races  on  the  mountains  inland,  who  can 
tell  something  of  Malayan  raids,  and  who  still  look 
down  with  longing  eyes  on  the  plains  from  which  their 
own  forefathers  were  expelled.  As  to  these  hill 
tribes — ‘ Orang  Bukit,’  ‘ Orang  Outan,’  ‘ Orang  Anto,’ 
mountain  men,  men  of  the  wilds,  spirit  men — such 
people,  the  Malays  solemnly  assure  us,  carry  tails, 
whose  tufted  ends  they  dip  in  damar  oil  and  ignite, 
and  thereupon  rushing  all  ablaze  into  the  Malayan 
campongs,  spread  fire  and  destruction  around.  In 
this  fable  it  is  evident  that  the  Malays  have  got 
hold  of  the  exploits  of  the  ape  god  in  the  Hindoo 
‘ Ramayana.’ 

I may  take  this  opportunity  of  assuring  my  readers, 
that  the  aboriginal  tribes  referred  to,  have  nothing  to 
show  in  the  shape  of  a tail ; not  even  the  rudiments,  so 
far  as  I know,  to  support  the  theory  of  progression  of 
species,  or  of  natural  and  spontaneous  development  of 
the  human  race.  I would  also  ask  (even  supposing 
the  progenitors  of  these  tribes  had  tails)  why  the 
march  of  progress  should  deprive  their  descendants  of 
such  an  ornament.  If  we  are  to  credit  the  stories 
which  some  missionaries  penned  about  two  centuries 
ago,  apes  in  these  localities  used  to  find  the  tail  a 
highly  useful  appendage.1  Thus,  these  ingenious  apes 
are  reported  to  have  caught  crabs  by  thrusting  their 
tails  into  the  crab-holes,  and  dragging  out  their  luck- 
less victims  clinging  all  unwittingly  to  this  monkey 
fishing-tackle. 


1 The  Oriental  Islands,  by  Herman  Moll,  i.  415. 


THE  TALE  OF  THE  BAFFLED  TIGER. 


35 


Wild  animals,  as  I remarked,  have  in  a great 
measure  been  driven  from  the  province,  and  were 
therefore  by  no  means  so  abundant,  as  I had  been  led  to 
expect.  One  might  reside  on  a plantation  for  years, 
and  never  once  be  pursued  by  a tiger,  like  the  fortunate 
Mr.  MacNab.  Planters  of  necessity  live  far  apart,  but 
their  custom  was  to  meet  about  once  a week  at  each 
other’s  houses  in  rotation.  This  festive  gathering  was 
known  as  ‘ Mutton  night,’  as  a sheep,  when  they 
could  get  one,  was  slaughtered  for  the  repast.  In 
former  days  planters  were  all  bachelors,  but  the  meet- 
ings were  none  the  less  convivial  on  that  account. 
Many  of  them  had  to  travel  long  distances  for  their 
dinner,  and  on  one  occasion,  when  feasting  was  over, 
when  they  had  chatted  and  sung  until  the  night  was 
far  spent,  a ‘ dock  and  dorack  ’ of  Scotch  whiskey  was 
dispensed  at  parting  to  keep  out  the  cold,  and  brace 
the  nerves  against  the  attack  of  a stray  rhinoceros,  an 
‘ orang-outan,’  or  a tiger.  It  was  rather  dark,  and 
verging  on  the  small  hours  of  morning,  when  MacNab, 
mounting  on  his  trusty  steed,  set  his  face  towards  home. 
Feeling  at  peace  with  all  men,  and  even  with  the  beasts 
of  prey,  he  cantered  along  a road  bordered  with  man- 
groves, admiring  the  fitful  gleams  of  the  fireflies  that 
were  lighting  their  midnight  lamps  among  the  trees. 
But  soon  the  road  became  darker,  and  Donald,  the 
pony,  pricked  his  ears  uneasily  as  he  turned  into  a 
jungle-path  which  led  towards  a stream.  Donald 
sniffed  the  air,  and  soon  redoubled  his  pace ; with  ears 
set  close  back,  nostrils  dilated,  and  bristling  mane. 
Onward  he  sped,  and  at  last  the  angry  growl  of  a tiger, 
in  full  chase  behind,  roused  MacNab  to  the  full  peril  of 
his  position,  and  chilled  his  blood  with  the  thought 


36 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


that  his  pursuer  was  fast  gaining  ground,  and  that  at 
any  moment  he  might  feel  the  clutch  of  his  hungry 
relentless  claws.  Here  was  a dilemma  ; the  cold  creek 
before  him,  and  the  hot  breath  of  the  tiger  in  the  rear. 
A moment  or  two  were  gained  by  tossing  his  hat  be- 
hind him,  then  Donald  cleared  the  stream  at  a bound, 
the  tiger  lost  his  scent,  and  MacNab  reached  home  in 
safety,  by  what  he  delighted  to  describe  as  a miraculous 


PURSUED  BV  A TIGER. 


escape.  How  frequently  a man  lives  to  discover  his 
worst  enemies  in  those  who  profess  themselves  his 
truest  friends ! MacNab’s  associates,  with  wicked 
incredulity,  refused  to  believe  in  his  tale  of  the  baffled 
tiger ; indeed,  they  attributed  the  pony’s  terror  and  the 
frantic  headlong  rush  for  home  to  the  presence  of  a 
little  bit  of  prickly  bamboo  which  had  accidentally  got 
fixed  beneath  the  saddle-girths. 

During  my  visit  to  one  of  the  plantations  a tiger 


TRAVELLING  IN  PROVINCE  WELLESLEY.  37 

and  her  cub  were  lurking  in  the  jungle,  not  tar  from 
the  house.  They  had  been  committing  depredations 
among  the  cattle  at  a neighbouring  village,  and  could 
be  heard  at  intervals  during  the  night. 

My  only  unfortunate  adventure  in  Province  Wel- 
lesley occurred  during  a storm,  when  on  my  way  to 
the  plantation  of  Mr.  Cain,  which  chanced  to  be  the 
most  remote  in  the  settlement.  Mr.  Cain’s  estate  lay 
at  the  foot  of  a range  of  hills,  where  it  was  said  that  a 
certain  wild  tribe  dwelt,  and  my  boy  Talep,  as  he  was 
anxious  to  see  the  ‘ orang-outan,’  or  men  of  the  woods, 
was  allowed  to  accompany  me  on  my  journey.  Having 
selected  a calm  morning,  we  crossed  from  Penang  in  a 
Malay  boat,  and  landed  at  a native  village  at  the  point 
most  convenient  for  reaching  our  destination.  In  the 
village  we  hired  two  waggons,  each  drawn  by  a pair 
of  black  water-buffaloes,  and  set  out  to  accomplish  the 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles  which  still  separated  us  from 
my  friend’s  plantation.  Talep  and  the  baggage  were 
stowed  in  the  leading  waggon.  I followed  in  the 
other,  and  occupied  myself  for  the  first  mile  or  two  in 
admiring  the  beauty  of  the  forest  and  jungle  along  the 
road. 

Our  route  at  the  outset  took  us  through  a man- 
grove swamp,  which  extended  over  an  area  of  land 
that  had,  at  no  distant  period,  been  covered  by  the  sea. 

The  tortuous  roots  of  the  mangrove  plants  rising 
in  a complete  net-work,  seemed  to  have  caught  and 
retained  the  deposits  of  successive  tides,  till  at  last 
was  formed  the  solid  ground  along  which  we  were  then 
making  our  way.  We  soon  left  the  swamp,  and  took 
to  the  main  road,  here  and  there  passing  some  Malay 
hamlet  embowered  in  rich  tropical  foliage,  and  shaded 


3« 


7ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


with  groves  of  banana  and  the  broad  leaves  of  the 
cocoa  and  areca  palms. 

Suddenly  the  sky  became  overcast  with  heavy 
masses  of  threatening  cloud.  The  bright  glare  was 
transformed  into  dark  twilight.  The  palms  rocked 
uneasily  in  the  breeze,  the  forest  moaned  and  whispered 
of  approaching  storm,  while  flocks  of  water-fowl  shot 
across  the  sky,  shrieking  from  out  of  the  darkness. 

Hereupon  Talep  stopped  his  men  and  ordered 
them  to  put  an  extra  covering  of  leaves  over  the 
waggons.  ‘ Now,’  he  said,  * the  storm  will  be  on  us  in 
a few  minutes,  and  we  have  done  our  best  to  keep  the 
rain  out.’  We  soon  discovered,  however,  that  the 
palm-thatched  roofs  of  our  conveyances  were  by  no 
means  watertight. 

The  road  grew  darker  until  night  seemed  to  have 
closed  in,  and  soon  flash  after  flash  of  lightning 
kindled  a hundred  unearthly  hues  amid  the  foliage  ; 
peals  of  thunder  shook  the  ground,  and  rolled  away  in 
echoes  through  the  forest ; a strong  earthy  odour  an- 
nounced the  approach  of  rain,  which  swept  with  a dull 
sound  along  the  road,  so  that  for  one  moment  we  could 
mark  its  drawing  near,  and  the  next  it  was  upon  us, 
like  a solid  sheet  of  tepid  water.  The  covering  of  my 
cart  was  useless  ; the  water  came  through  like  a steady 
shower-bath.  As  for  the  large  buffaloes,  they  plodded 
along  heedless  of  the  storm  ; but  I kept  shouting  to  the 
men  to  mind  the  ditches,  as  the  road  was  now  com- 
pletely flooded  over,  and  the  carts  were  dragging 
through  mud  up  to  the  axles.  As  long  as  we  had  a 
line  of  trees  to  guide  us,  the  men  kept  the  middle  of 
the  road  ; but  when  once  we  left  these  stately  sign- 
posts in  the  rear,  we  were  forced  to  flounder  through 


THE  STORM. 


39 


the  mud  with  ditches  six  feet  wide  and  as  many  deep 
on  either  side.  It  was  too  dark  to  see  far  ahead,  and 
the  turbid  red  water  was  lashed  into  foam  by  the 
bickering  rain.  The  interior  of  my  cart  became 
soaked  and  slippery,  and  I was  helplessly  shunted 
about  from  side  to  side,  as  the  vehicle  plunged  into  the 
pitfalls  of  the  submerged  road.  Just  as  I was  making 
a desperate  effort  to  wedge  myself  into  a corner,  I heard 
a splash  and  a drowning  cry.  Talep,  waggon,  baggage 
and  all,  had  disappeared  into  the  ditch.  I hastened 
through  the  slough  of  mud  and  water  to  the  scene  of 
the  disaster.  The  driver  had  dived  to  extricate  the 
drowning  Talep,  and  brought  him  up  looking  little  the 
worse. 

He  next  proceeded  to  unharness  his  buffaloes,  after 
which  he  swam  them  off  down  the  ditch,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  his  companion  and  their  other  pair  of  beasts, 
before  I had  even  time  to  remonstrate.  Quite  unpre- 
pared for  such  a piece  of  cool  audacity,  I would  have 
fired  over  the  heads  of  the  vagabonds  to  bring  them  to 
reason,  but  my  firearms  were  underwater.  They  were 
off  to  the  nearest  campong,  to  spend  the  night.  The 
Malays  believe  in  a bountiful  Providence,  and  wait 
most  patiently  for  its  gifts.  They  believe  in  fate  too. 
It  was  ‘ Tuan  Alla  poonia  krajah,’  the  work  of  the 
Almighty,  the  carts  upsetting  in  the  ditch  ; and  so  these 
men  would  go  comfortably  to  sleep,  believing  that  it 
was  no  use  kicking  against  fate.  Feeling  it  impossible 
to  sustain  the  gravity  the  situation  demanded,  I laughed 
outright,  much  to  the  dismay  of  the  unhappy  Talep, 
who  was  certain  that  the  evil  influences  of  the  ‘ anto 
(ghosts)  were  on  him. 

Something  was  to  be  done.  We  could  not  wait 


40 


IND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


until  Providence  should  disperse  the  deluge,  or  draw 
the  cart  out  of  the  ditch.  It  was  equally  clear  we  could 
not  of  ourselves  accomplish  either  task,  nor  drag  the 
remaining  waggon  to  my  friend’s  plantation. 

To  make  matters  worse,  my  note-book  and  direc- 
tions were  under  water,  and  neither  of  us  felt  inclined 
for  a descent  into  the  ditch.  It  was  growing  dark, 
night  was  evidently  coming  on,  so  we  made  ourselves 
hoarse  with  shouting,  and  at  length  were  answered  by 
a responsive  voice  ; and  pushing  on  in  the  direction  of 
the  sound,  followed  by  Talep,  we  reached  a cane-field 
where  I again  paused  to  shout,  and  had  not  long  to 
wait  for  a reply,  as  my  friend  the  planter  had  come  out 
to  meet  us,  and  enjoyed  a hearty  laugh  at  our  disasters. 
As  to  our  ruffianly  drivers,  they  knew  well  enough,  he 
said,  where  they  were,  but  fearing  his  wrath,  they 
decamped  for  the  night. 

Settled  at  last  beneath  his  hospitable  roof,  I quickly 
forgot  the  day’s  adventure  in  the  agreeable  society  of 
my  host. 

Home  and  the  old  country  were  what  we  talked  of 
most,  and  midnight  had  already  gone  by,  when  we  be- 
took ourselves  to  rest.  Mr.  Cain  lit  a lamp,  showed 
me  to  my  apartment,  and  opening  a chest  of  drawers 
in  one  corner  of  the  chamber,  produced  a revolver  and 
sword,  gravely  handing  the  weapons  to  me,  with  a re- 
quest that  I would  stow  the  one  beneath  my  pillow, 
and  keep  the  other  close  at  hand.  He  added  con- 
fidentially, ‘ that  he  never  felt  quite  at  ease  at  night 
unless  his  arms  were  ready,  for  his  predecessor  and 
wife  had  been  murdered  in  this  very  house  by  a neigh- 
bouring hill  tribe.’  Here  was  comforting  reflection  for 
a weary  man  ! and  with  a sensation  as  new  as  it  was  un- 


THE  MALA  Y RAID. 


4i 


expected,  I lay  down  like  a warrior  to  my  rest  ‘with  mar- 
tial cloak  around  me.’  Soon  falling  fast  asleep,  I dreamt 
of  savage  tribes.  A prisoner  in  their  hands  I was  to 
choose  one  of  two  alternative  deaths.  If  I objected  to 
being  eaten  while  still  alive,  I had  the  liberal  option  of 
being  cooked,  a limb  at  a time.  The  cannibals  were 
on  the  point  of  seizing  their  victim,  when  I suddenly 
awoke,  and  found  Cain  himself  standing  over  me  with 
a drawn  sword,  flashing  in  the  feeble  lamplight.  The 
next  moment  he  had  dragged  me  out  of  bed.  ‘ Follow 
me  ! follow  me,’  he  cried,  * with  revolver  and  sword,  just 
as  you  are.  The  hill  men  are  on  us.’  I slipped  on 
my  shoes,  and  plunged  into  the  darkness,  where  I soon 
lost  sight  of  my  leader.  I could  still  hear  his  voice 
calling  ‘ Make  for  the  fires  ! make  for  the  fires ! my 
God,  they  are  burning  the  coolie  houses!’  I shaped 
my  way  as  straight  as  I could  towards  the  light  of  the 
nearest  fire,  plunging  and  floundering  as  I progressed 
now  over  fields,  and  now  through  swampy  ground.  At 
last  I reached  a house,  and  could  distinguish  the 
moans  of  some  one  in  pain.  I found  that  the  building 
had  fallen  down,  and  was  aflame  at  one  end.  Hailing 
the  sufferer,  he  replied  in  Malay  that  he  was  killed. 
In  my  effort  to  get  at  him  I stumbled  over  a huge 
warm  body,  and  the  next  moment  received  a poke  in 
the  ribs,  which  warned  me  that  I had  narrowly  es- 
caped being  impaled  on  the  horns  of  a huge  water 
buffalo  stretched  out  in  the  shed.  As  to  the  man 
who  declared  himself  killed,  he  had  been  slightly 
bruised  by  a falling  rafter  ; and  we  found  that  we  were 
the  victims  of  a false  alarm,  for  the  storm,  which  burst 
forth  with  renewed  violence  during  the  night,  had 
blown  down  the  coolie  houses  and  these  had  somehow 


42 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


taken  fire.  We  were  none  the  worse  for  the  adven- 
ture. I certainly  suffered  some  inconvenience  from  a 
number  of  leeches  which  I had  to  pick  off  my  body,  but 
next  day  I slept  none  the  less  soundly  on  this  account. 

Before  leaving  this  strange  out-of-the-way  place,  I 
was  shown  a huge  man-eating  alligator  which  had 
been  trapped  in  an  adjoining  stream.  It  appeared 
that  a labourer  on  the  bank  was  bathing  his  child, 
when  the  monster  caught  the  babe  between  its  jaws, 
and  disappeared.  The  alarm  spread  ; the  entire  gang 
of  coolies  assembled,  dammed  the  stream  at  two 
places,  and  finally  secured  the  reptile  with  a baited 
hook. 

In  another  part  of  the  province  I fell  in  with  a 
planter  who  proved  a rather  eccentric  sort  of  cha- 
racter, and  whom  I shall  call  Mr.  Berry.  He  lived 
quite  alone,  and  we  made  up  a party  to  pay  a visit  to 
his  plantation.  The  roads  through  the  fields  were 
everywhere  bad,  but  became  more  especially  so  as  we 
neared  the  house,  and  we  kept  falling  into  deep  holes 
filled  up  with  wood  and  rubbish.  Mr.  Berry  admitted 
on  each  occasion  that  the  hole  was  a bad  one,  perhaps 
as  bad  as  any  to  be  found  on  his  estate,  * but  hearing 
you  were  coming,’  said  he,  ‘ I had  just  put  a cart-load 
of  fire-wood  into  the  cavity  to  make  it  good.’ 

Mr.  Berry  was  a man  of  middle  age,  wearing  a sa 
but  not  unpleasant  expression  on  his  face,  and  spoke 
in  an  accent  of  broad  Scotch.  He  informed  us,  amongst 
other  things,  in  languid  tones  of  regret,  that  he  had 
just  been  doctoring  the  fire-bars  of  his  engine,  as  he 
had  no  engineer  to  help  him.  He  then  invited  us  to 
his  house,  which  had  an  air  of  solitude  and  desolation. 
Berry,  however,  as  he  stepped  on  to  his  balcony  said, 


TAME  BIRDS. 


43 


‘ Wait  a bit,  and  I will  introduce  you  to  some  of  my 
friends.’  We  therefore  held  back,  and  allowed  our  host 
to  walk  to  the  front  verandah  alone.  There  we  saw 
him  stretch  out  his  hand  and,  whistling  gently  and 
soothingly,  a bird  came  fluttering  from  the  foliage,  and 
perched  upon  his  finger.  ‘ This  wee  birdie,’  said  Berry 
to  us,  ‘ had  once  a mate,  and  the  twa  used  to  come  at 
my  whistle  and  take  their  meals  beside  me  ; but  now 
the  hen’s  gone,  I’ve  not  seen  her  for  some  months. 
She’s  dead,  and  left  this  lad  to  my  care,  and  I feed  the 
bonny  wee  thing  every  morning.’  The  scene  was 
strange  and  touching ; and  although  Berry  was  good- 
naturedly  chaffed  for  his  isolation,  it  was  useless  to 
endeavour  to  force  him  into  freer  and  healthier  habits. 
He  was  plainly  a man  of  gentle  and  very  retiring  dis- 
position, but  still  it  was  puzzling  to  make  out  by  what 
means  he  had  managed  to  tame  the  birds  which  found 
a home  among  the  weeds  and  fruit-trees  of  his  garden. 


44 


IND O- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Chinese  Guilds  ; their  Constitution  and  Influence — Emigration  from 
China — A Plea  for  unrestricted  Female  Emigration — The  Perak  Dis- 
turbances— Chinese  Tin-mining — Malacca — Singapore — Its  Commerce 
and  People — Stuffing  an  Alligator — The  Horse-breaker — Chinese 
Burglars — Inland  Scenery — A Foreign  Residence — Amusements — A 
Night  in  the  Jungle — Casting  Brazen  Vessels — Jacoons. 

Guilds  and  secret  societies  would  seem  almost  indis- 
pensable to  the  individual  existence  and  social  cohesion 
of  the  Chinese  who  settle  themselves  in  foreign  lands. 
If  this  were  not  really  the  case,  it  would  be  hard  to 
say  why  we  tolerate  native  institutions  of  this  sort  in 
the  Straits  Settlements  at  all,  for  they  have  proved 
themselves,  and  still  continue  to  be,  the  cause  of  con- 
stant trouble  to  the  government.  Avowedly  estab- 
lished to  aid  the  Chinese  in  holding  their  own,  not  in 
commercial  circles  only,  but  politically  against  the 
authorities,  and  to  set  our  laws,  if  need  be,  at  defiance, 
it  can  nevertheless  hardly  be  doubted  that  some  of  the 
rules  laid  down  for  the  guidance  of  their  members  are 
good  ones,  and  embody  precepts  of  the  highest  moral 
excellence  ; but  other  most  objectionable  instructions 
are  to  be  met  with,  of  which  the  following  affords  a 
good  example  ; and  from  it  we  may  perceive  the  reason 
why  our  officials,  both  in  the  Straits  and  in  China,  are 
so  often  baffled  in  detecting  crime.1  ‘ If  a brother 


Our  Tropical  Possessions  in  Malayan  India.  Cameron. 


POLITICAL  GUILDS. 


45 


commits  murder  or  robbery,  you  shall  not  inform 
against  him,  but  you  shall  not  assist  him  to  escape,  nor 
prevent  the  officers  of  justice  from  arresting  him.’  In 
connection  with  the  foregoing,  let  us  take  another  of 
their  regulations.  ‘ If  you  do  wrong,  or  break  these 
laws,  you  shall  come  to  the  society  to  be  punished,  and 
not  go  to  the  authorities  of  the  country.’  From  the 
two  specimens  here  given,  we  can  get  some  insight 
into  the  obstacles  which  the  Chinese  secret  societies 
manage  to  raise  up  to  shield  offenders  from  justice. 
So  far  as  my  half-score  of  years’  experience  goes,  I 
believe  that  under  the  rule  first  quoted  a Chinaman  is 
clearly  enjoined  to  conceal  the  facts  of  a brother’s 
crime  even  in  a court  of  law  ; and  as  perjury  on  behalf 
of  a friend  is  esteemed  an  undoubted  sign  of  high 
moral  rectitude,  and  as  in  our  courts  a false  witness  has 
no  torture  to  dread,  no  rack  nor  thumbscrews,  the 
successful  disclosers  of  secrets  in  China,  he  lies  without 
let  or  hindrance,  and  thus  the  all-powerful  society  so 
effectually  conceals  a member’s  guilt  as  to  render 
Chinese  testimony  practically  useless. 

These  societies  are  imitations  of  similar  institutions 
in  every  province  of  the  Chinese  empire,  where  the 
gentry  combine  to  resist  the  oppression  of  a despotic 
government,  and  the  peasantry  unite  in  clans  and 
guilds  to  limit  the  power  of  local  officials  and  of  the 
gentry,  and  to  promote  their  own  commercial  and 
social  interests.  The  Chinaman,  however  poor  he 
may  be,  has  great  faith  in  the  infinite  superiority  of 
his  own  country,  government  and  people,  over  all  others ; 
and  when  he  emigrates  to  some  foreign  land  he  at 
once  unites  in  solemn  league  with  his  clansmen  to 
resist  what  he  honestly  deems  its  barbarous  laws  and 

5 


46 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


usages.  He  has  no  belief  in  a liberal  and  pure  form 
of  administration.  After  years  spent,  it  may  be,  in  some 
English  colony  or  in  America,  he  will  yet  be  unable 
to  shake  off  the  feeling,  that  he,  in  a great  measure, 
owes  his  success  abroad  to  the  protecting  influence  of 
some  powerful  clan  or  guild. 

Such  societies  were  at  the  bottom  of  the  disturb- 
ances that  threatened  Singapore  in  1872,  and  the  prin- 
cipal rioters  concerned  on  that  occasion  were  of  the 
class  described  as  the  ‘ Sam-sings  ’ or  fighting  men, 
whereof  each  society  has  always  a certain  number  in 
its  pay. 

The  immediate  cause  of  these  riots  was  the  en- 
forcement for  the  first  time  of  a new  ordinance, 
designed  to  regulate  or  * suppress,’  as  the  Chinese 
chose  to  believe,  a certain  class  of  street  hawkers. 
These  hawkers,  always  useful,  if  not  always  innocent 
members  of  a Chinese  community  in  Singapore  and 
elsewhere  in  the  East,  naturally  felt  aggrieved  at  having 
the  prospects  of  their  livelihood  curtailed.  Some  of 
them  went  so  far  as  to  resist  the  rough  interference  of  the 
police.  Their  case  was  taken  up  by  the  fighting  men 
in  various  quarters  of  the  town,  the  Sam-sings,  whom 
Mr.  Whampoa  (an  old  Chinese  gentleman  for  many 
years  resident  in  Singapore)  thus  describes  : ‘ They  live 
by  looting,  and  are  on  the  watch  for  any  excuse  for 
exercising  their  talents.  Each  hoey,  or  society,  must 
have  so  many  of  them,  but  I don’t  know  any  means  of 
ascertaining  their  number.  I suppose  they  are  paid 
by  the  hoeys  and  brothels.  They  are  regular  fight- 
ing people,  and  are  paid  so  much  a month.  If  there 
is  any  disturbance,  these  people  go  out  in  looting 
parties  ; whether  ordered  by  the  head  men  or  not, 


CHINESE  VILLAGE  FEUDS. 


47 


I cannot  say  ; perhaps  they  do  it  on  their  own  account.' 
From  the  same  report  I gather  that  such  characters  are 
at  the  present  time  plentiful,  as  they  have  been  driven  out 
of  the  neighbourhood  of  Swatow,  in  the  south  of  China. 
In  a previous  work 1 I have  noticed  the  disturbed  state  of 
a part  of  the  province  of  * Kwang-tung,’  and  the  strong 
measures  taken  by  ‘Judin,’  the  present  governor- 
general  of  the  two  Kwang,  for  the  restoration  of  order. 
But  some  of  the  lawless  vagabonds  who  escaped  the 
vengeance  of  Judin  have  settled  in  Singapore  and 
other  British  possessions,  and  there  under  the  protect- 
ing wings  of  their  guilds  they  obtain  frequent  and 
lucrative  employment  in  the  shape  of  pillage  or  per- 
haps murder.  At  first  sight  it  seems  strange  that  the 
Sam-sings  should  find  scope  for  their  villanies  in  a 
British  colony ; even  greater  scope,  one  would  be  apt 
to  imagine,  than  they  find  under  the  corrupt  govern- 
ment of  their  own  disorganised  land. 

But  any  disinterested  observer  who  has  travelled 
through  China  will  agree  with  me  in  this,  that  how- 
ever far  behind  in  other  respects,  the  Tartar  rulers, 
when  it  suits  their  convenience,  (except  when  the  popu- 
lation is  in  actual  revolt),  know  very  well  how  to  deal 
with  and  keep  down  marauders  with  a very  strong 
hand  ; so  much  so  is  this  the  case,  indeed,  that  the  scum 
of  the  population  is  frequently  driven  to  seek  refuge  in 
emigration  to  more  congenial  climes.  One  element 
which  operates  successfully  in  maintaining  order  in 
China,  is  the  superstitious  reverence  which  the 
Chinese  have  for  their  parents.  Should  a son  commit 
a crime  and  abscond,  his  parents  are  liable  to  be 
punished  in  his  stead.  This  law,  even  supposing  it 

1 Illustrations  of  China  and  its  people, 


48 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


were  put  in  force  in  a foreign  land,  would  not 
affect  the  immigrants,  as  they  seldom  bring  their  wives 
or  parents  with  them  ; and  to  this  fact  alone — the  ab- 
sence, that  is,  of  the  strong  family  ties  held  so  sacred 
by  the  race — we  may  attribute  much  of  the  difficulty 
encountered  by  our  authorities  in  dealing  with  the  crime 
and  vice  of  this  section  of  the  population.  It  must 
also  be  borne  in  mind  that  a Chinese  ruffian,  who 
would  soon  be  brought  to  justice  (unless  he  could  pur- 
chase immunity)  if  he  were  practising  on  his  country- 
men in  a Chinese  city,  enjoys,  on  the  contrary,  the  coun- 
tenance and  support  of  his  compatriots  in  a town  such 
as  Singapore.  For  there  he  commits  his  depredations 
on  men  of  foreign  extraction  ; and  the  avenger  of  blood 
from  whom  he  is  hidden  away  is  after  all  only  an 
officer  of  those  ‘ white  devils,’  whom  it  is  the  China- 
man’s delight  anywhere  and  everywhere  to  oppose. 

A few  of  the  Chinese  immigrants  marry  Malay 
women,  and  settle  permanently  in  the  Straits  ; but  the 
-majority  remain  bachelors.  If  any  one , perchance,  is 
unable  to  realise  the  hope  of  returning  to  his  native 
village,  if  he  should  die  on  foreign  soil,  his  friends  ex- 
pend the  savings  of  the  deceased  in  sending  his  body 
back  to  mingle  with  the  dust  of  his  forefathers  in 
China.  Thus  we  find  a steady  stream  of  the  living 
and  the  dead  passing  to  and  fro  between  the  Straits 
Settlements  and  the  southern  provinces  of  this 
‘ Flowery  Land.’ 

Surely  something  might  be  done,  in  framing  our 
treaties,  to  alter  all  this,  and  to  improve  the  social 
and  moral  condition  of  the  Chinese  immigrants  who 
land  in  our  tropical  possessions.  In  certain  districts 
of  China  the  women  are  so  greatly  in  excess  of  the 


CHINESE  FEMALE  EMIGRATION. 


49 


men,  that  many  girls  are  still  sacrificed  in  their  infancy 
by  their  parents. 

A small  proportion  of  this  surplus  female  popula- 
tion is  annually  drawn  off  by  native  agents,  who  pur- 
chase them  for  a few  dollars  and  ship  them,  often  as 
involuntary  emigrants,  to  foreign  ports  where  their 


CHINESE  LABOURERS  FROM  THE  KAVANGTUNG  PROVINCE. 


countrymen  abound,  and  where  they  are  imprisoned  in 
opium-dens,  and  brothels,  until  their  price  and  passage- 
money  have  been  redeemed  by  years  of  prostitution. 
This  vile  type  of  emigration,  like  everything  in  Chinese 
hands,  has  long  been  systematised,  and  is  protected  by 
native  hoeys  established  at  different  ports.  I have 
no  doubt  that  the  coolies,  who  frequently  leave  their 


5° 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


wives  and  families  behind  in  China,  would  gladly  bring 
their  partners  with  them  if  permitted  by  government 
to  do  so,  and  if  they  themselves  felt  that  degree  of 
security  in  their  prospects  abroad  which  the  laws  of  a 
Christian  country  ought  to  inspire.  The  free  immigra- 
tion of  women  should  also  be  encouraged,  for  Chinese 
girls  not  only  make  excellent  domestic  servants,  but 
are  useful  field  labourers,  and  they  would  soon  find 
industrious  partners  among  their  countrymen.  This 
plan  would  also  tend  to  check  female  infanticide  in 
those  regions  of  China  from  which  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion mainly  flows 

I have  already  drawn  attention  to  the  Chinese 
faction  fights  in  Perak.  Perak  is  a Malayan  state  to 
the  south  of  Quedah,  and  with  a coast  line  which 
adjoins  Province  Wellesley. 

The  tin  mines  there  have  long  been  famous,  and 
have  attracted  a large  Chinese  mining  population. 
Hence  it  would  appear  that  the  Chinese  owners  of 
these  mines  found  themselves  strong  enough  to  get 
the  upper  hand,  and  to  do  pretty  well  what  they  chose 
with  the  local  authorities. 

The  original  scene  of  the  recent  disturbances  was  a 
small  stream  at  the  Laroot  mines.  One  Chinese  society 
took  upon  itself  to  divert  the  stream  from  its  old  course, 
and  thus  deprive  the  mines,  on  a lower  level,  of  its  use 
in  washing  the  tin.  The  aggrieved  hoey  applied  to  the 
native  rulers  of  Perak  against  their  rival  countrymen  ; 
but  the  Muntrie,  or  inferior  Rajah,  proving  unable  to 
settle  the  dispute,  either  by  arbitration  or  by  force,  the' 
Chinese  proceeded  to  drive  him  from  the  country,  and 
settle  the  matter  between  themselves  by  the  free  use 
of  arms. 


PERAK  AND  EAR  00  T.  51 

In  addition  to  the  claims  of  our  own  commercial 
interests,  we  are  bound  under  a treaty  to  protect  the 
Sultan  of  Perak  and  the  Rajah  Muntrie  of  Laroot  in 
the  event  of  domestic  disturbance.  Accordingly  Sir 
Andrew  Clarke,  the  present  Governor  of  the  Straits, 
adopted  measures  to  restore  order  in  the  disquieted  pro- 
vince, where  one  of  the  contending  parties  had  been  ex- 
pelled by  its  rivals,  and  had  taken  temporarily  to  piracy 
for  a living.  Peace  has  at  length  been  re-established, 
and  the  country  placed  under  the  direct  protection  of 
the  British  flag.  A provisional  treaty  has  been  drawn 
up,  and  a resident  English  officer  is  to  act  conjointly 
with  the  Rajah  Muntrie  of  Laroot  in  the  administration 
of  the  country.  All  this  appears  to  be  satisfactory ; 
and  I only  hope  that  the  decisive  steps  taken  by  the 
Governor  of  the  Straits  will  meet  with  approval  and 
confirmation  at  home,  for  the  suppression  of  piracy  and 
riot  is  of  vital  importance  to  trade  ; and  the  metallic 
wealth  of  the  country,  which  passes  through  the  hands 
of  our  merchants  in  Penang,  is  in  itself  something 
worth  guarding.  A small  strip  of  the  Perak  coast, 
with  a depth  of  five  miles  inland,  has  now  been  ceded 
to  our  authorities,  and  I hope  to  see  the  same  trans- 
formation take  place  there  which  has  happened  in 
Province  Wellesley,  where  foreign  capital  and  ma- 
chinery are  busy  in  the  production  of  sugar. 

In  Perak  the  tin  mines  are  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  the  Chinese,  but  there  is  a wide  field  for  the  intro- 
duction of  modern  mining  appliances. 

We  may  form  some  notion  of  the  methods  of 
Chinese  mining  from  what  a recent  writer  in  the 
‘ Penang  Gazette’  tells  us  on  the  subject.  A China- 
man, when  he  is  prospecting  for  the  metal,  fills  half  a 


52 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


cocoa-nut  shell  with  the  earth  ; and  when  he  has  washed 
this,  if  he  finds  that  the  residue  of  metal  will  fill  a 
space  equal  in  capacity  to  two  fingers,  he  concludes 
it  will  pay  him  to  work  the  mine. 

But  when  he  opens  his  mine,  he  will  sink  a shaft 
no  more  than  a few  feet  deep,  fifteen  or  twenty  at  the 
most ; indeed,  he  can  never  be  prevailed  on  to  go 
down  to  a depth  where  he  is  no  longer  able  to  raise 
the  water  that  gathers  in  the  hole  by  means  of  his 
simple  but  ingenious  chain-pump.  When  the  shaft 
has  become  too  deep  for  the  power  of  this  machine,  he 
abandons  it,  and  never  dreams  of  tunnelling. 

The  wage  of  the  common  Chinese  miner  is  about 
one  shilling  a day,  and  the  profit  per  cwt.  of  the  pure 
metal  laid  down  free  of  all  charge  in  Penang,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  about  three  pounds  ten  shillings. 

I paid  a passing  visit  to  Malacca,  but  finding  it 
neither  an  interesting  nor  a profitable  field,  I made 
but  a short  stay  in  the  place.  Malacca  is  a quaint, 
dreamy,  Dutch-looking  old  town,  where  one  may  enjoy 
good  fruit,  and  the  fellowship  and  hospitality  of  the 
descendants  of  the  early  Portuguese  and  Dutch  colo- 
nists. 

Should  any  warm-hearted  bachelor  wish,  he  might 
furnish  himself  with  a pretty  and  attractive-looking 
wife  from  among  the  daughters  of  that  sunny  clime  ; 
but  let  him  make  no  long  stay  there  if  indisposed  to 
marry,  unless  he  can  defy  the  witchery  of  soft  dark 
eyes,  of  raven  tresses,  and  of  sylph-like  forms.  It  is  a 
spot  where  leisure  seems  to  sit  at  every  man’s  door- 
way ; drowsy  as  the  placid  sea,  and  idle  as  the  huge 
palms,  whose  broad  leaves  nod  above  the  old  weather- 
beaten smug-looking  houses.  Here  nature  comes  laden 


MALACCA. 


53 


at  each  recurring  season  with  ripe  and  luscious  fruits, 
dropping  them  from  her  lap  into  the  very  streets,  and 
bestrewing  the  bye-ways  with  glorious  ananas,  on  which 
even  the  fat  listless  porkers  in  their  wayside  walks 
will  hardly  deign  to  feed.  It  is  withal  a place  where 
one  might  loiter  away  a life  dreamily,  pleasantly,  and 
uselessly. 

These  are  but  passing  impressions,  and  Malacca 
may  yet,  after  all,  develop  into  something  in  every 
way  worthy  of  the  Straits  which  bear  its  name. 
Malacca  is  doubtless  interesting  from  a purely  historical 
point  of  view,  for  it  was  once  the  seat  of  a Malayan 
monarchy,  powerful  probably  in  the  thirteenth  century, 
when  the  Cambodian  Empire  was  already  on  the  de- 
cline. At  a later  date,  the  city  became  one  of  the  chief 
commercial  centres  established  by  the  early  Portuguese. 

Singapore,  so  far  as  we  know,  has  no  ancient  and 
engrossing  history.  I gather,  from  old  Chinese  and 
European  maps,  that  the  original  ‘ Singapura  ’ was  a 
section  of  territory  on  the  mainland  of  the  Malayan 
peninsula,  and  not  the  island  which  now  bears  its 
name  and  usurps  its  place  in  ancient  history.  It  has 
risen,  as  my  readers  are  aware,  since  its  annexation  by 
Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  to  a position  of  great  commercial 
and  political  importance. 

Not  many  years  ago  it  was  a mere  desolate  jungle- 
clad  island,  like  hundreds  of  others  in  the  Eastern 
seas,  with  a few  fisher  huts  dotted  here  and  there 
along  its  coast.  But  there  is  no  need  for  me  to  dwell 
on  the  recent  history  of  the  place.  When  I first  saw 
the  settlement  in  1861  I was  startled  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  European  town,  and  since  that  time  it  has 
been  yearly  registering  its  substantial  progress  in 


54 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


steadily  increasing  rows  of  splendid  docks,  in  bridges, 
in  warehouses,  and  in  government  edifices.  During 
these  few  years  it  has  passed  through  strange  vicissi- 
tudes of  fortune.  At  one  time  the  harbour  and  roads 
were  crowded  with  square-rigged  ships,  Chinese  junks, 
and  Malay  prahus.  Now,  were  we  to  take  these  as 
the  true  indications  of  the  trade  of  the  port,  we  should 
at  once  conclude  that  its  commerce  had  rapidly  de- 
clined, for  comparatively  few  sailing  craft  are  to  be 
seen  there  at  any  season  of  the  year.  But  we  must 
bear  in  mind  that  within  that  period  the  march  of  pro- 
gress (though  almost  imperceptible  to  those  who  have 
dwelt  continuously  in  these  distant  regions)  has  been 
rapid  and  startling  in  its  results. 

A submarine  cable  has  brought  Singapore  within  a 
few  hours  of  London,  while  the  opening  of  the  Suez 
Canal,  and  the  establishment  of  new  steam  navigation 
companies  engaged  in  the  China  trade,  have,  to  a great 
extent,  done  away  with  the  fleets  of  clipper-built  ships 
that  formerly  carried  the  produce  from  China  and 
Singapore,  by  the  long  Cape  route,  to  England.  In 
the  same  way  the  absence  of  Chinese  junks  may  be 
accounted  for  by  increased  facilities  afforded  to  native, 
as  well  as  foreign  trade,  through  steam  navigation  in 
the  China  seas.  The  Chinese  and  the  Japanese  too, 
for  that  matter,  are  gradually  learning  to  take  the  full 
benefit  of  the  advantages  which  have  thus  been 
brought  to  their  doors. 

They  travel  as  passengers,  and  ship  their  goods  by 
European  steamers.  This  is  not  all  ; they  are  now 
themselves  organising  steam  navigation  companies  of 
their  own.  The  trade  of  Singapore,  save  in  times  of 
unusual  depression,  continues  steadily  to  advance,  and 


SINGAPORE. 


55 


since  the  transfer  of  the  Straits  Settlements  to  the 
Colonial  Office,  their  commerce  is  reported  to  have  in- 
creased twenty-five  per  cent. 

In  Commercial  Square — the  business  centre  of 
Singapore,  where  buyers  and  sellers  most  do  congre- 
gate— the  visitor  will  find  men  of  widely  different  types, 
and  a great  variety  of  nationalities  ; among  them  all, 
perhaps,  the  most  conspicuous  is  the  dark  statuesque- 
looking  Kling  from  the  Malabar  coast,  motionless 
beside  his  gharry,  or  darting  out  from  the  deep  shade 
of  the  trees  to  present  his  active  little  pony  and  neat 
conveyance  before  some  warehouse,  which  he  has  long 
been  watching  with  a hawk’s  eye  in  the  hope  of  a hire. 
Half-a-dozen  at  least  of  his  fellow-countrymen  crowd 
up  as  quickly  to  the  spot  as  he,  and  vent  their  disap- 
pointment in  noisy  gabble,  when  one  more  lucky  than 
they  rattles  down  the  road  with  the  prize  ; a pleasure 
party,  perhaps,  arrayed  in  white,  and  making  the  most 
of  the  short  time  at  their  command  in  a survey  of  the 
beauties  of  the  island,  which  are  neither  few  nor 
far  between.  Let  us  imagine  ourselves  on  the  spot. 
The  square  rings  with  that  babel  of  sounds  which 
quarrelling  Klings  alone  know  how  to  raise.  Baulked 
in  their  hopes,  these  gharry-men  have  it  out  among 
themselves,  and  deafen  the  passers-by  with  a jargon  of 
most  unmusical  sounds.  These  Klings  seldom  if  ever 
resort  to  blows,  but  their  language  leaves  nothing  for 
the  most  vindictive  spirit  to  desire.  Once,  at  one  of 
the  landing-places,  I observed  a British  Tar  come 
ashore  for  a holiday.  He  was  forthwith  beset  by  a 
group  of  Kling  gharry-drivers ; and  finding  that  a volley 
of  British  oaths  was  as  nothing  when  pitted  against  the 
Kling  vocabulary,  and  that  no  half-dozen  of  them  would 


56 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


stand  up  like  men  against  his  huge  iron  fists,  he 
seized  the  nearest  man,  and  hurled  him  into  the  sea. 
It  was  the  most  harmless  way  of  disposing  of  his  enemy, 
who  swam  to  a boat,  and  it  left  Jack  in  undisturbed 
and  immediate  possession  of  the  field. 

Commercial  Square  is  made  up  of  buildings  both 
old  and  new.  There  are  the  shops,  the  stores,  the 
banking-houses,  and  the  merchants’  offices.  There 
Europeans  and  Chinese  pursue  their  various  occupa- 
tions. But  the  rows  of  new  buildings,  with  their 
colossal  proportions,  cast  a cool  shade  over  the  less 
assuming,  antique,  green-venetianed  structures,  erected 
in  ‘ the  good  old  days,’  in  times  when  the  residents 
might  hear  once  in  six  months  from  home,  and  when 
two  or  three  successful  shipments  of  produce  from  the 
‘ spice  islands  ’ might  bring  a princely  fortune  to  their 
proprietor.  ‘ Those  were  good  times  indeed,’  said  a 
worthy  but  unfortunate  old  merchant  to  me.  ‘We 
lived  then  above  our  offices,  a small  but  a very  happy 
community.  Now  we  might  almost  as  well  live  in 
London  as  here  ; steam  and  telegraph  bring  us  daily 
into  communication  with  the  old  world.  Our  Sundays 
are  not  our  own.  By  night  and  by  day  we  are  at  work, 
writing  for  the  mail.’  His  words  fell  little  short  of 
the  truth.  If  we  follow  the  long,  cool  alleys  which 
separate  the  blocks  of  buildings,  fragrant  odours  of 
spices  meet  us  on  every  side.  Then  suddenly  we 
come  upon  an  open  court  or  warehouse,  with  piles  of 
block  tin  glistening  in  the  dim  light,  and  with  ship- 
loads of  pepper,  tapioca,  sago,  gutta-percha,  ratans, 
and  other  oriental  products,  awaiting  exportation,  or 
being  carried  busily  by  Chinese  coolies  to  the  ships. 
The  lifting  power  of  these  Herculean  coolies  is  startling 


l.'H  I N F.SE  M FRCHANTS 


COMMERCIAL  SQUARE. 


57 


even  to  those  who  have  grown  familiar  with  the  scene. 
We  next  enter  the  office,  where  we  may  be  able  to  ex- 
chanee  a few  hurried  words  with  the  4 Tuan-busar,’  or 

o 

chief ; but  there  is  a mail  signalled,  expected,  or  going 
out,  and  dapper-looking  clerks  sit  at  their  various  desks 
engrossed  with  the  correspondence.  We  retire,  there- 
fore, in  haste,,  not  without  feeling  that  our  society,  how- 
ever entertaining,  creates  an  undesirable  interruption 
there. 

Let  us  return  for  a stroll  round  the  square,  peeping 
as  we  pass  through  the  open  doors  of  the  bank.  Here 
our  ears  are  almost  deafened  by  the  interminable  jingle 
of  dollars  as  they  are  rung  and  weighed,  or  counted  by 
practised  Chinese  schroffs.  Further  on  is  a huge 
store,  and  the  name  of  its  proprietor,  4 Boon  Eng,’ 
painted  on  an  imposing  array  of  signboards. 

Boon  Eng  himself  accosts  you,  and  invites  you  to 
inspect  his  varied  assortment  of  the  choicest  European 
wares.  He  suggests  that  you  should  be  good  enough 
to  sample  his  sherry,  or  4 eau-de-vie,’  as  they  are  of 
number  one  4 brands,’  while  his  stationery,  hosiery,  and 
saddlery,  are,  as  he  assures  you,  by  the  best  English 
manufacturers. 

A fine  specimen  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  shopkeeper 
is  Boon  ; tall,  and  portly  withal ; but  while  he  courts 
your  patronage,  you  find  yourself  instinctively  turned 
towards  the  splendid  carriage  and  pair  which  has  just 
drawn  up  at  his  door ; and  your  surprise  is  great  when 
Boon  Eng  himself — for  it  is  just  closing  time — lights  a 
cigar,  steps  into  the  vehicle,  and  is  driven  swiftly  off 
by  his  Malay  coachman  to  some  pleasant  villa  in  the 
country.  The  coolies  by  this  time  are  leaving  their 
work,  and  even  among  them  one  sees  many  who, 


INDOCHINA  AND  CHINA. 


58 

naked  as  they  are,  do  not  despair  of  one  day  wearing 
a silken  jacket  and  riding  in  a carriage  like  Boon. 

But  now  the  tinkle  of  a bell  summons  us  across  the 
square,  and  we  there  find  that  a horse  sale  is  about  to 
commence.  The  merchants  and  their  assistants,  freed 
for  the  day,  are  scattered  about  in  groups,  and  assume, 
some  of  them,  as  horsey  airs  as  any  votary  of  Tatter- 
sail’s  famous  mart.  An  Australian  ship  has  just 
brought  a full  consignment  of  horses.  There  they  are, 
tethered  beneath  the  trees,  some  of  them  likely-looking 
beasts,  but  somewhat  stale  after  the  voyage.  One  by 
one  they  are  trotted  out  by  Malays,  or  Kling  grooms, 
and  sold  for,  from  twenty  to  two  hundred  dollars  a- 
piece. 

I remember  Mr.  Rarey,  formerly  a magistrate  on 
one  of  these  islands,  investing,  at  an  auction  of  this  sort, 
in  what  was  little  more  than  the  animated  framework 
and  leather  of  an  animal.  He,  however,  undertook, 
with  characteristic  pluck,  to  make  a horse  of  his  pur- 
chase in  about  three  months,  and  had  a small  circus 
made  near  his  stables,  in  which  Rosinante  was  carefully 
exercised.  He  wished  to  prove  how  much  good  living 
and  kindness  would  do  to  build  up  and  beautify  a jaded, 
worn-out  animal.  A few  weeks  afterwards  my  sanguine 
and  enthusiastic  friend  invited  me  once  more  to  ex- 
amine the  brute,  as  he  thought  it  was  now  filling  up. 
Its  head  and  stomach  seemed  indeed  to  have  become 
larger ; its  powers  of  eating  were  enormous ; but  I 
was  constrained  to  confess  that  it  was  even  less  like  a 
horse  than  on  the  day  when  it  had  changed  proprietors. 
Ultimately,  I believe,  it  died  of  a fit  of  indigestion. 

Rarey  had  strange  fancies  about  animals.  I found  him 
on  one  occasion  stuffing  an  alligator  over  twelve  feet 


STUFFING  AN  ALLIGATOR. 


59 


long.  I had  returned  from  a trip  to  the  interior,  and 
dropped  from  idle  curiosity  into  the  magistrate’s  court. 
Rarey  descried  me  from  his  seat  on  the  bench,  and 
beckoned  me  to  a place  beside  him.  ‘ Now,’  he  said,  1 I 
have  been  here  for  a mortal  hour,  moving  heaven  and 
earth  to  get  that  prevaricating  Kling  rascal  to  tell  the 
truth.  He  is  a witness  in  rather  an  important  case, 
and  I really  believe  that  for  the  last  half  hour  he  has  been 
struggling  against  a heaven-born  impulse  to  make  a 
clean  breast  of  it,  and  feel  for  once  the  novel  sensation 
of  honesty.  But  his  efforts,  mental  and  physical,  have 
reduced  him  to  hopeless  imbecile  confusion,  and  the 
wretch  is  perspiring  so  freely  that  he  has  quite  vitiated 
the  air. 

* Burgoman,  throw  open  that  door ! ’ My  friend 
had  evidently  been  waiting  with  impatience  for  a 
gleam  of  light  from  the  dusky  witness,  and  he  had 
covered  the  paper  on  his  desk  with  clever,  but  by 
no  means  flattering  delineations,  of  his  oily,  shining 
countenance. 

The  case  had  to  be  adjourned,  and  we  retired  to 
an  open  space  in  the  rear  of  the  court.  There, 
stretched  out  upon  tressels,  and  with  its  capacious  full- 
fanged  jaws  at  their  widest,  lay  the  largest  alligator  I 
have  ever  seen.  ‘ I am  stuffing  this  monster,’  said 
Rarey,  ‘ and  shall  send  it  to  my  brother  to  set  up  in 
his  hall ; for  he,  like  myself,  is  fond  of  curiosities  which 
cannot  be  picked  up  every  day.  He  has  been  a man- 
eater,  this  fellow ; no  mistake  about  it ; but  there’s  no 
stuffing  the  brute.  I wish  one  or  two  of  my  peons 
(native  police)  would  crawl  down  his  throat.  They 
would  never  be  missed.  But  lend  me  your  cane  ; the 
last  lot  of  stuff  I put  in  is  not  yet  crammed  down.’  I 

6 


6o 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


lent  my  cane  accordingly,  but  I never  recovered  it,  for 
it  stuck  fast  where  many  a daintier  morsel  had  van- 
ished in  former  days,  and  Rarey,  in  an  effort  to  get 
hold  of  it,  only  pushed  it  further  out  of  his  reach,  and 
in  the  end  it  was  associated  with  the  stuffing. 

As  I have  already  mentioned,  some  of  the  Aus- 
tralian horses  are  very  fair  specimens  ; but  others,  and 
those  the  majority,  are  Roman-nosed,  unsightly  vicious 
beasts  ; and  one  which  I bought  and  tried  to  break 
for  the  saddle — a full-chested,  fine-limbec!  animal — had 
a nasty  habit  of  showing  the  white  of  his  eyes,  and 
used  to  buck  until  his  back  was  like  a camel’s. 
Mr.  Kugleman,  a horse-breaker,  undertook  to  cure  him 
of  this  trick.  Mr.  Kugleman  was  a very  powerful 
man ; it  was  his  boast  he  had  never  been  thrown 
in  his  life.  I have  seen  him  lift  a horse  by  the 
fore-legs,  and  back  it  into  a carriage.  Making 
light  of  the  caution  I was  careful  to  administer,  he 
proceeded  without  delay  to  mount  my  steed ; and  after 
about  half  an  hour’s  labour,  which  covered  the  horse 
with  a lather  of  foam,  he  got  him  to  leave  the  stable 
and  start  down  the  road  freely,  at  a canter,  as  if  quite 
subdued.  In  about  another  half-hour  they  returned, 
the  rider  with  his  coat  ripped  up  the  back,  his  face  cut, 
and  bearing  all  the  marks  of  a heavy  fall.  It  turned 
out  that  the  horse  took  fright  at  a stream  where  Ben- 
galee washermen  were  beating  clothes  on  the  rocks, 
reared,  fell  backwards,  rolled  over,  and  finally  got  up 
again  with  his  rider  still  on  his  back.  So,  after  all, 
Kugleman  could  still  continue  to  brag  that  all  his  life 
through  he  had  never  been  thrown. 

I must  own  that  I was  invariably  unfortunate 
in  my  dealings  with  Australian  horses.  Once  I had 


SUMATRAN  PONIES. 


61 


a young  chestnut  cob,  not  quite  broken  for  the  saddle, 
and  as  I rode  him  along  the  esplanade,  a buggy,  at  a 
furious  pace,  rounded  a sudden  bend  in  the  road,  and 
one  of  the  shafts  of  the  buggy  cut  deep  into  his  haunch. 
However,  I had  the  wound  sewn  up,  and  in  a few 
weeks’  time  he  was  well  and  fit  for  the  road  again. 
By  far  the  prettiest  specimens  of  horse-flesh  to  be  seen 
in  the  Straits  are  the  native  Sumatran  ponies.  These 
are  the  perfection  of  symmetry  ; with  small  well-formed 
heads,  full  tender  eyes,  and  necks  that  arch  gracefully 
beneath  a profusion  of  mane.  Their  chests  are  broad, 
their  limbs  fine,  their  hoofs  round  and  compact ; and  so 
full  of  spirit  are  these  fiery  little  animals  that  many  of 
them,  if  given  the  rein,  would  keep  their  pace  up  until 
they  dropped  down. 

But  let  me  now  bring  my  reader  back  to  Commer- 
cial Square,  and  pilot  him  along  Battery  Road  to  the 
Creek,  where  Malay  sampans  and  Chinese  lighters 
abound.  Crossing  this  creek  by  the  newly-built  iron 
bridge,  we  next  reach  Beach  Road  and  the  Esplanade, 
and  may  see  a number  of  well  kept  European  hotels 
peeping  out  amid  the  trees  of  the  gardens  in  which 
they  stand.  The  esplanade  runs  round  a large  en- 
closure of  fine  green  turf — a convenient  cricket-field 
and  recreation  ground — while  the  road  itself  forms  a 
fashionable  resort  where  in  the  cool  of  the  evening, 
and  in  a double  row  of  carriages,  the  wives  and 
families  of  the  residents  move  continuously  in  opposite 
directions  for  one  or  two  hours  at  a time.  In  these 
daily  circumgyrations  we  not  only  meet  our  acquaint- 
ances, and  exchange  nods  of  recognition,  but  enjoy  the 
gentle  exercise  and  the  fresh  sea  breeze,  which  are  so 
essential  to  good  health  in  the  tropics.  The  number 


6 2 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


of  equipages  is  surprising,  and  so  is  the  nature  of  their 
occupants.  It  appears  to  have  become  necessary 
nowadays  for  every  resident  of  standing  to  keep  his 
carriage,  and  this  because  the  dwelling-houses  are  fre- 
quently a considerable  distance  apart.  Fashion  also 
demands  that  the  carriage  should  be  as  costly  a one, 
and  the  house  as  showy,  as  the  owner’s  means  will 
admit.  After  all,  judging  from  the  luxurious  style  in 
which  the  foreign  residents  live,  we  may  discover,  in 
some  measure,  how  it  comes  that  times  are  altered,  and 
why  magnificent  fortunes  are  not  piled  up  so  easily  nor 
so  speedily  as  in  former  days. 

Perhaps  the  change  is  in  no  way  to  be  regretted,  for 
I question  whether  it  is  possible,  in  any  part  of  the 
world,  to  find  a prettier  home. 

The  residents,  therefore,  take  the  common  sense 
view  of  the  case.  They  are  likely  to  remain  long  on 
the  island,  and  determine  accordingly  to  spend  the 
time  as  pleasantly  as  they  can.  Their  fine  equipages 
must,  of  course,  create  a spirit  of  rivalry  and  a feeling 
of  vanity,  but  it  would  be  a dull  and  matter-of-fact 
world  without  these  two  instincts  working  everywhere 
around. 

Starting  from  the  square  again  in  another  direction, 
we  enter  the  native  quarter,  or  Kling  bazaar,  where  the 
shopkeepers  sell  cotton  and  woollen  goods,  cutlery  and 
all  sorts  of  glass  and  hardware.  On  the  opposite  side  of 
the  street  dwell  Chinese  mechanics  and  shopkeepers, 
and  there  you  may  get  almost  anything  made  which 
you  choose. 

These  Chinamen  are  most  unsightly  to  behold. 
Many  of  them  are  as  nearly  naked  as  possible,  and  if 
at  all  stout,  they  delight  to  expose  their  piggish  pro- 


CHINESE  ATTRIBUTES  OF  GREATNESS.  63 

portions  to  what  they  believe  to  be  an  admiring  public 
o-aze.  ‘ A large  facie  man  ’ and  ‘ large  belly  man  is 
looked  upon  by  the  Chinese  as  a very  high  type  of  the 
human  race.  He  is  sure  to  be  good-hearted  and 
wealthy,  endowed  with  wisdom,  and  blessed  with 
length  of  days.  He  is  therefore  careful  to  exhibit  his 


CHINESE  TAILORS. 


unrobed  corporation  to  his  admiring  countrymen. 
Thus  at  mid-day  his  dress  will  consist  of  a pair  of 
straw  slippers,  and  cotton  trowsers  about  six  inches 
long ; while  if  the  weather  is  cool,  his  shoulders  are 
covered  with  a white  cotton  jacket  unfastened  in  front. 
But  let  us  stop  and  take  a look  into  this  tailor’s  shop. 
A long  table,  covered  with  a white  straw  mat,  runs  up 


64 


INDO- CHINA  ANN  CHINA. 


the  centre  of  the  apartment,  and  at  it  squat  a dozen 
or  more  men,  busy  stitching  various  articles  of  attire. 
These  industrious  tailors  are  as  naked  as  our  fat  friend 
who  employs  them.  They  make  garments  for  others, 
and  go  themselves  uncovered.  Their  needles  are  of 
English  manufacture,  although  similar  ones  are  made 
in  China,  and  they  stitch  away  from  instead  of  to 
themselves,  as  is  the  practice  with  us. 

In  Singapore  the  Chinese  far  outnumber  the 
Malays,  and  therefore  they  hold  a more  important 
position  than  in  Penang,  where  the  Malayan  population 
is  in  excess.  Were  any  serious  outbreak  to  occur 
among  the  Singapore  Chinese,  I believe  it  could  be 
suppressed  most  easily  by  arming  the  Malays,  for  they 
make  first-class  fighting  men,  or  else  by  setting  the 
members  of  one  Chinese  faction  against  the  members 
of  another.  There  are  at  the  present  time  a number 
of  Chinamen  who  fill  responsible  positions.  One  is  an 
unofficial  member  of  the  Legislative  Council,  others 
are  justices  of  the  peace,  and  others  again  hold  the 
opium  and  spirit  farms.  Many  more  own  extensive 
tracts  of  cultivated  land,  or  have  large  capital  invested 
in  commerce,  and  it  is  obviously  the  interest  of  such 
personages  as  these  to  promote  peaceful  and  indus- 
trious habits  among  the  lower  orders  of  their  country- 
men. 

If  we  knew  nothing  of  Chinese  clanship  and 
Chinese  guilds,  we  should  think  it  strange  that  the 
wealthier  Chinamen  are  rarely  made  the  victims  of  the 
great  gang  robberies  that,  during  my  time,  used 
frequently  to  occur.  These  robberies  are  perpetrated 
by  bands  of  ruffians  numbering  at  times  as  many  as  a 
hundred  strong,  who  surround  and  pillage  a house  that 


CHINESE  TH/E  EES. 


65 


is  always  the  residence  of  a foreigner.  Chinese  thieves 
are  thorough  experts  at  their  profession,  adopting 
the  most  ingenious  devices  to  attain  their  infamous 
ends.  I recollect  a burglary  which  once  took  place  at 
a friend’s  house,  when  the  thief  found  his  way  into  the 
principal  bedroom,  and  deliberately  used  up  half  a box 
of  matches  before  he  could  get  the  candle  to  light. 
His  patience  being  rewarded  at  last,  he  proceeded 
with  equal  coolness  in  the  plunder  of  the  apartment, 
not  forgetting  to  search  beneath  the  pillow,  where  he 
secured  a revolver  and  watch.  These  Chinese  robbers 
are  reported  to  be  able  to  stupify  their  victims  by  using 
some  narcotic  known  only  to  themselves.  I have  no 
doubt  this  was  done  in  the  case  just  referred  to,  by  the 
agency  of  the  Chinese  house-servants,  who  perhaps  in- 
troduced the  drug  to  my  friend’s  bed. 

Chinese,  when  it  suits  their  purpose,  do  not  stick  at 
trifles,  as  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  a China- 
man, esteemed  a respectable  member  of  society,  at- 
tempted, on  one  occasion,  to  poison  the  whole  foreign 
community  of  Hongkong  with  the  bread  he  supplied. 
The  Malays  have  told  me  of  cases  where,  as  they 
averred,  the  cunning  Chinese  thief  passes  the  door- 
way of  the  house  to  be  pillaged,  and  tosses  in  a handful 
of  rice  impregnated  with  some  aromatic  drug.  This 
drug  soon  sends  the  inmates  off  into  a deep  repose, 
from  which  they  will  seldom  awaken  till  long  after  the 
robber  has  finished  his  undertaking,  and  that  in  the 
complete  and  deliberate  style  which  suits  the  taste  of 
the  Chinese.  For  I must  tell  you  that  they  at  all  times 
object  to  vulgar  haste,  whatever  be  the  business  they  are 
pursuing ; and  they  prefer,  if  possible,  to  avoid  sudden 
surprises  and  unexpected  attacks.  The  slightest  sound 


66 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


will  make  them  take  to  cowardly  flight,  dropping  their 
booty,  and  their  nether  garments,  if  any,  in  order  to 
facilitate  escape. 

But  when  they  have  a daring  burglary  on  hand, 
they  go  quite  naked,  with  the  body  oiled  all  over,  and 
the  queue  coiled  up  into  a knob  at  the  back  of  the 
head,  and  stuck  full  of  needles  on  every  side.  The 
following  adventure  with  a Chinese  burglar  befel  a 
friend  of  mine.  About  midnight,  as  he  lay  awake  in 
his  bed,  with  the  lamp  extinguished  and  the  windows 
opened  to  admit  the  air,  he  saw  a dark  figure  clamber 
over  his  window-sill  and  enter  the  apartment.  He 
kept  himself  motionless,  till  the  thief,  believing  all  to  be 
safe,  had  stolen  into  the  centre  of  the  room,  and  then 
sprang  out  of  bed  and  seized  the  intruder.  Both  were 
powerful  men,  and  a furious  struggle  consequently 
ensued  ; but  the  robber  had  the  advantage,  for  his  only 
covering  was  a coat  of  oil ; so  that  at  last,  slipping  like 
an  eel  from  the  grasp  of  his  antagonist,  he  made  a 
plunge  at  the  window,  and  was  about  to  drop  into  the 
garden  beneath  when  his  pursuer,  with  a final  effort, 
managed  to  catch  him  by  the  tail.  The  tail,  stuck  full 
of  needles,  and  alas  ! a false  one  too,  came  away  by 
the  weight  of  the  fall,  and  was  left  a worthless  trophy 
in  the  hands  of  the  European  whom  its  proprietor  had 
vainly  tried  to  rob. 

The  interior  of  the  island  of  Singapore  is  less 
bold  in  outline  than  Penang,  its  highest  peak,  ‘ Buket 
Timor,’  being  only  500  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
Yet  Singapore  has  beauties  of  its  own  such  as  few 
other  lands  can  boast.  A number  of  low  hills  lend 
variety  to  the  landscape,  and  high-roads  are  carried  in 
broad  even  lines  along  the  intervening  plains.  Not 


SINGAPORE  SCENERY. 


67 


unfrequently  we  may  travel  by  these  roads  for  miles 
through  unbroken  avenues  of  fruit-trees,  or  beneath  an 
over-arching  canopy  of  ever-green  palms,  while  from 
the  same  sylvan  thoroughfares  we  may  descry  the  red- 
tiled  roofs  of  the  foreign  houses,  on  the  slopes  and 
crowns  of  the  hills.  The  long  and  well  kept  approaches 
to  these  European  dwellings  never  fail  to  win  the 
praise  of  strangers.  In  them  may  be  discovered  the 
same  lavish  profusion  of  overhanging  foliage  which  we 
see  around  us  on  every  side,  besides  that  there  are 
often  hedges  of  wild  heliotrope  cropped  as  square  as  if 
built  up  of  stone,  and  forming  compact  barriers  of 
green  leaves  which  yet  blossom  with  gold  and  purple 
flowers. 

Behind  these  fences  broad  bananas  nod  their  bend 
ing  leaves,  and  fan  the  hot  path  beneath,  while  cooler 
breezes  gently  ripple  among  the  palm-trees  high  above 
our  heads.  A choice  flower-garden,  a close-shaven 
lawn,  and  a green  for  croquet,  are  not  uncommonly  the 
surroundings  of  the  residence. 

If  it  be  early  morning,  there  is  an  unspeakable  charm 
about  the  spot.  The  air  is  cool,  even  bracing ; and 
beneath  the  shade  of  a group  of  forest-trees  which  the 
axe  has  purposely  spared,  we  see  the  rich  blossoms  of 
orchids  depending  from  the  boughs,  and  breathe  an 
atmosphere  saturated  with  the  perfume  which  these 
strangely  beautiful  plants  diffuse.  Songless  birds 
twitter  or  croak  among  the  foliage  above,  or  else 
beneath  shrubs  which  the  convolvulus  has  decked 
with  a hundred  variegated  flowers.  Here  and  there 
the  slender  stem  of  the  aloe,  rising  from  an  armoury  of 
spiked  leaves,  lifts  its  cone  of  white  bells  on  high,  or  the 


68 


JNDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


deep  orange  pine-apple  peeps  out  from  a green  belt  of 
fleshy  foliage,  and  breathes  its  ripe  fragrance  around. 

Having  turned  the  last  bend  of  the  path,  we  come 
at  length  upon  a wide  flight  of  steps  in  front  of  the 
house.  The  tiled  roof  and  wide  eaves  cover  a 
spacious  verandah,  which  runs  round  the  building  on 
all  sides.  This  verandah  is  supported  by  a row  of 
plastered  brick  pillars  of  classic  proportions,  and  is 
enclosed  by  a carved  railing  of  hard  polished  wood. 
It  has  rattan  blinds  to  shade  it,  and  these  may  be  let 
down,  or  rolled  up  beneath  the  eaves,  as  the  position 
of  the  sun  may  require.  Flowers  in  China  vases  orna- 
ment the  steps,  and  stand  at  intervals  on  the  gravel 
drive  in  front.  On  one  side  a wall  of  dark  foliage 
casts  its  cool  shade  over  the  dwelling,  and  from  the 
other  we  can  see  through  some  leafy  spaces  the  rising 
sun,  casting  long  shadows  athwart  hill  and  dale,  or 
mark  its  faint  pencillings  of  golden  light  on  the  distant 
palm-crowned  islands  that  are  gradually  emerging  from 
the  morning  mists  in  the  far-off  waters  of  the  Straits. 

If  perfect  peace  can  steal  through  the  senses  into  the 
soul — if  it  can  be  distilled  like  some  subtle  ether  from 
all  that  is  beautiful  in  nature — surely,  in  such  an  island 
as  this,  we  shall  find  that  supreme  happiness  which  we 
all  know  to  be  unattainable  elsewhere.  But  here,  as 
in  other  quarters  of  the  globe — although  the  residents, 
many  of  them,  live  in  princely  style,  although  the  air 
is  balmy,  and  nature  bountiful — cares  and  bitter  experi- 
ences still  make  their  presence  felt.  In  my  own  time 
I have  had  friends,  who,  buoyant  with  high  hopes,  and 
in  the  flush  of  youth,  have  left  their  dear  old  homes  to 
seek  fortune  on  this  distant  island,  and  who  have 
passed  away,  far  from  the  tender  hands  that  could 


DOMESTIC  SERVANTS. 


69 


smooth  their  pillows,  gazing  vacantly  upon  the  darken- 
ing palms  outside  their  windows,  or  dreaming  of  the 
sweet  music  of  familiar  voices. 

But  there  are  other  special  drawbacks  to  life  in 
Singapore.  The  heat,  for  example,  is  great,  and  must 
tell  on  the  European  constitution  at  last.  The  ther- 
mometer shows  an  average  in  the  shade,  all  the  year 
round,  of  between  85°  and  950  Fahrenheit,  and  this 
high  temperature  tends  with  other  influences  to  pro- 
duce a variety  of  the  most  serious  disorders  which  flesh 
is  heir  to  in  the  tropics,  and  a multitude  of  minor 
annoyances,  of  which  prickly  heat  is  by  no  means  the 
least  troublesome. 

The  Chinese,  as  they  stand  heat  well,  ought  to 
enjoy  life  to  the  full  in  such  a place  as  this.  Stepping 
round  to  the  servants’  quarters,  built  on  a slip  of  land 
in  the  rear  of  the  house,  and  hidden  away  among  the 
trees,  we  find  that  ‘ Ah-Sin,’  the  cook,  has  been 
gambling  overnight,  and  is  not  yet  astir.  There  he 
lies,  stretched  on  the  Malay  mat  which  he  has  spread 
for  himself  over  a bench,  and  his  head  pillowed  not  un- 
comfortably upon  a billet  of  wood.  A decided  smell  of 
opium  pervades  the  room;  but,  after  all,  that  must  only 
be  our  own  fancy,  as  no  Chinese  domestic  ever  smoked 
the  vile  drug,  according  to  his  own  account.  Here, 
too,  is  a long  brick  oven  and  fireplace,  flanked  by  the 
usual  array  of  pots  and  pans.  The  latter  all  look 
clean.  This  evidence  of  cleanliness  in  the  Chinese 
cook  is  no  small  advantage,  as  I once  actually  found  a 
Kling  cook  boiling  a pudding  in  one  end  of  the  narrow 
cloth  which  formed  his  only  covering,  the  other  ex- 
tremity being  wound  round  his  loins.  The  cook’s 
mate,  or  larn  ‘ pidgin,’  as  they  call  them  in  Hong- 


70 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


kong,  has  already  lit  the  fires,  and  is  making  his  toilet. 
He  must  feel  cool,  for  he  wears  no  other  apparel 
except  his  tail,  and  we  see  him  busily  engaged  in 
rubbing  himself  down  with  a hot,  moist  cloth.  At  our 
approach  he  rapidly  resumes  his  clothes,  and  puts  on  a 
merry  look.  Perhaps  he  has  been  early  astir  to  see 
the  sun  rise.  We  enquire,  and  the  answer  is  * No,’  he 
never  saw  the  sun  rise.  He  evidently  thinks  we  are 
chaffing  him,  as  he  adds,  ‘ he  never  knew  any  man 
who  did.’ 

Perhaps  he  admires  the  scenery.  No ! but  he 
would  like,  if  we  could  tell  him  how,  to  make  one  dollar 
into  two,  and  two  into  four,  and  it  will  probably  not  be 
long  before  he  discovers  the  secret.  The  servants’ 
quarters  are  well  built,  and  kept  clean  and  comfortable  ; 
for,  with  the  exception  of  the  groom  and  gardener,  who 
are  ‘ Bugis,’  the  domestics  are  all  Chinese  of  the  same 
clan  from  Hainan.  The  house-boys  are  now  up  and 
at  work  ; one  soothes  his  friends  by  playing  a native 
air  on  a Chinese  fiddle,  fashioned  by  drawing  a snake- 
skin  tightly  over  about  two-thirds  of  a cocoa-nut  shell 
fastened  on  to  a long  handle  and  tail-piece,  and  then 
the  strings  are  stretched  lute-fashion  outside  the  whole 
apparatus.  Our  friend,  the  owner  of  the  bungalow, 
has  been  out  for  a morning  ride,  and  has  just  returned 
to  give  us  a hearty  welcome,  and  to  invite  us  to  break- 
fast when  we  have  completed  our  inspection  of  his 
abode.  The  house  is  floored  throughout  with  polished 
planks  of  hard  wood.  In  the  centre  of  the  building 
stand  the  drawing-  and  dining-rooms,  which  we  entered 
from  the  verandah,  and  which  are  separated  from  each 
other  by  siken  screens,  reaching  half  way  up  to  the 
ceiling.  To  the  right  and  left  are  the  bedrooms, 


SINGAPORE  RESIDENCES. 


71 


approached  through  arched  doorways,  and  shut  off  by 
similar  screens,  opening  on  hinges,  and  so  constructed 
as  to  secure  complete  privacy,  while  they  yet  admit 
the  air.  In  one  the  bed  is  enclosed  in  a huge  muslin 
cage  propped  on  a framework  of  wood,  and  large 
enough  to  contain  also  a table  and  reading-lamp,  and 
an  easy  chair.  This  cage  is  entered  by  a tight-fitting 
doorway,  and  is  designed  as  a protection  against  the 
moschettos,  for  even  one  of  these  troublesome  insects 
is  sufficient  to  banish  sleep  for  a whole  night  through. 
There  are  long  punkahs  in  the  public  rooms,  and  that 
luxury  is  not  excluded  even  from  this  airy  bedroom, 
for  on  hot  nights  a native  sits  up  all  night  long  fanning 
his  lord  and  master  to  sleep.  It  is,  doubtless,  a great 
luxury  to  have  a man  servant  in  constant  attendance 
upon  one  in  such  a place  as  Singapore  ; but  at  the 
same  time  I have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  it,  and 
other  evils  consequent  upon  contact  with  an  inferior 
race,  has  a debasing  effect  on  weak  natures.  Youths 
who  have  been  accustomed  to  none  of  these  things, 
having  once  acquired  the  noble  science  of  concocting 
claret-cup  and  cocktails,  their  tropical  education 
rapidly  extends  to  requiring  the  most  contemptible 
services  from  long-suffering  domestics.  When  they 
have  acquired  a smattering  of  the  Malay  ‘ patois,’  they 
indulge  in  vulgar  abuse,  or  assume  a tone  of  injured 
forbearance ; and  the  keynote  of  their  complaints  is 
‘ Boy ! what  have  I done  that  you  neglect  to  relieve 
me  of  my  boots  and  coat,  prepare  my  bath,  or  help  me 
to  bed,  administer  a sherry  and  bitters  when  I seem 
languid,  or  a cocktail  (an  American  drink)  at  seasons 
of  prostration  ? ’ 

The  hot  climate  renders  some  natures  extremely 


72 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


irritable,  and  I have  known  really  good-hearted  men 
always  in  a ferment  with  their  servants  ; either  paying 
them  off  in  a moment  of  passion,  or  praying  that  they 
might  return  to  their  duties.  Thus,  some  residents 
are  despised  by  the  humblest  of  Chinese  dependents, 
as  in  their  own  country  an  ungovernable  temper  is 
accounted  one  of  the  lowest  attributes  of  humanity. 

The  Singapore  residents  have  devised  many 
amusements  for  themselves.  They  have  their  clubs, 
their  bowling-alleys  and  fives’  courts,  and  their  race- 
course. Picnics  are  numerous,  and  the  frequent 
gatherings  at  private  houses  are  pleasantly  diversified 
by  performances  at  the  Theatre,  and  concerts  in  the 
Town  Hall. 

There  used  also  to  be  a sporting  club,  and  more 
than  once  I have  been  out  tiger-hunting  with  its  mem- 
bers, but  I never  encountered  anything  more  formidable 
than  a deer.  Singapore  has  a great  name  for  tigers  ; 
however,  I never  saw  but  one  in  its  native  jungle, 
during  three  years’  residence  on  the  island.  I have  fre- 
quently heard  them  roaring  at  night  round  my  house  at 
‘ Bendulia,’  a plantation  in  which  I held  a share.  It  may 
be  safely  said  that  tigers  do  not  nowadays  destroy  a 
man  per  diem,  as  they  are  reported  to  have  done  in 
former  times.  Nor  is  the  Singapore  tiger  an  animal 
at  all  likely  to  attack  a man  face  to  face.  What  they 
usually  do  is  to  pounce  upon  a single  unfortunate 
victim  as  he  bends  over  his  work  in  some  lonely  field. 
The  natives  say  that  the  tiger  almost  always  attacks 
from  behind,  and  I once  saw  the  body  of  a coolie  who 
had  come  thus  to  his  end.  Though  only  slightly  muti- 
lated, it  had  been  thoroughly  drained  of  its  blood,  and 
showed  deep  ragged  incisions  along  the  back  and 


AN  ADVENTURE  IN  THE  JUNGLE. 


73 


behind  the  head.  Herds  of  pigs  roam  wild  in  the 
jungle,  the  pests  of  the  Chinese  squatters,  whose  sweet 
potatoes  and  other  produce  they  ravenously  devour. 
They  afford  good  sport  to  Europeans. 

I once  went  out  pig-shooting  with  a party,  to  spend 
the  night  in  the  jungle.  We  put  up  in  a small  watch- 
house,  one  of  many  such  which  are  elevated  in  the 
jungle,  standing  on  posts  of  bamboo  about  ten  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  with  a platform  or  flooring  not 
more  than  six  feet  square ; above  is  a thatched  roof  of 
palm-leaves.  We  were  a party  of  four,  one  of  us  an 
American  gentleman,  the  finest  shot  in  the  Straits — or 
supposed  to  be,  by  many.  Having  proceeded  to  a 
clearing  close  to  the  jungle,  we  entered  on  the  business 
of  laying  in  wait — a ceremony  by  no  means  the  most  en- 
joyable among  those  incident  to  the  sport.  These  wild 
pigs  feed  in  herds  by  night ; so  we  spread  a store  of 
pine-apples  on  the  ground,  and  then,  with  such  patience 
as  we  could  muster,  we  tarried  to  see  what  fortune 
would  send  us.  Our  clothes  were  of  the  thinnest ; the 
stinging  ants  never  tired  of  their  attacks  ; while  the 
bloodthirsty  mosquitos  buzzing  about  our  heads,  and 
diving  into  our  ears,  supported  the  invading  armies  of 
ants  by  light  incursions,  which  harried  our  necks  and 
heads,  so  that  it  became  most  difficult  to  maintain  the 
silence  essential  to  the  success  of  our  expedition.  At 
length,  after  three  protracted  hours  of  weary  watching 
and  unreproachful  agony,  we  heard  the  distant  snorts 
and  grunts  that  heralded  the  approach  of  the  swine. 
As  turtle  to  aldermen,  so  are  dainty  pine-apples  to 
these  denizens  of  the  jungle.  They  had  got  scent 
of  our  bait,  and  were  moving  in  our  direction.  They 
came  on,  but  not  incautiously.  Now  they  come 


74 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


on  in  bristling  phalanx,  and  snort  for  the  encounter,  and 
now  they  grunt  a signal  to  halt.  Swift  and  agile  I 
already  knew  them  to  be  ; but  now,  too,  I discovered  in 
them  such  a happy  combination  of  boldness  and  pru- 
dence that  I thought  if  undomesticated  pigs  could  but 
overcome  their  greediness,  they  might  rank  among  the 
noblest  creatures  of  the  forest.  But,  alas  ! in  this  case  as 
in  too  many  unhappy  instances  of  the  past,  the  prospect 
of  a rich  feast  was  a temptation  too  great  for  their 
grovelling  nature  ! On  they  came  crashing  towards  us, 
through  the  jungle  in  front.  We  grasped  our  rifles  so 
as  to  sweep  the  clearing,  and  awaited  the  charge  of  the 
foe  ; but  unhappily  preferring  American  to  English  in- 
stitutions, they  swept  suddenly  round  to  the  field  com- 
manded by  the  doughty  sportsman  from  the  United 
States. 

Then  a rifle  report,  a yelling  and  a grunting,  fol- 
lowed by  the  hasty  pattering  of  the  feet  of  our  enemies, 
as  they  turned  their  trotters  in  full  flight ; and  lo  ! when 
we  hurried  to  the  spot,  expecting  to  find  at  least  one 
victim  to  the  trusty  weapon  of  our  friend,  we,  to  our 
dismay,  discovered  him  seated  on  the  ground  nursing 
one  leg,  and  threatening  in  most  unparliamentary 
language  Baboo  his  native  servant,  who  laughed,  and 
lurked  behind  a tree.  It  appeared  that  the  leader  of  the 
herd,  a huge  hog,  had  charged  our  friend  before  he 
could  take  aim,  had  ran  through  between  his  legs  and 
toppled  him  over  in  the  act  of  firing,  and  carried  his 
followers  into  the  jungle  unscathed.  Disappointed, 
but  not  discouraged,  we  determined  to  keep  watch, 
in  the  hope  that  the  pigs  would  return.  So  we  fixed 
Baboo  as  a sentinel  on  the-  bamboo  ladder  of  the  hut, 
in  such  a way  that  he  would  fall  off  if  he  went  to  sleep, 


MALA  Y BRAZIER. 


75 


and  then  ourselves  retired  to  rest.  When  we  awoke 
the  hot  sun  was  shining  brightly.  Baboo,  coiled  round 
the  ladder  like  a snake,  was  still  fast  asleep,  and  the 
pigs,  undisturbed,  had  feasted  upon  the  pine-apples 
beneath  our  feet. 

There  area  few  Malay  workmen  in  Singapore.  One 
of  these,  a certain  ‘ Tukang  Timbago,’  or  worker  in 
brass,  whose  shop  I used  to  visit,  was  a maker  of  rice- 
bowls,  teapots,  and  spirit-flasks.  His  mode  of  .casting 
the  brass  was  most  ingenious,  differing  from  any  plan 
which  I have  seen  employed  elsewhere.  His  patterns 
were  minutely  made  on  an  instrument  resembling  a' 
potter’s  wheel ; on  this  he  placed  a ball  of  beeswax, 
which,  in  a few  minutes,  he  spun  up  with  his  fingers 
into  the  form  of  the  vessel  he  was  about  to  cast ; by 
this  time  the  material  had  become  exceedingly  thin. 
If  the  vessel  was  to  have  a narrow  mouth,  he  made 
his  wax  model  in  two  halves,  which  he  afterwards 
joined  together.  This  done,  he  next  fixed  on  small 
cylinders  of  wax,  designed  to  form  ducts  for  the  molten 
metal.  After  completing  the  wax  model,  he  proceeded 
to  cover  it  with  a coating  inside  and  outside  of  fine 
soft  clay,  which  he  followed  up  with  a second  coating 
when  the  first  was  dry,  and  by  continuing  this  process 
the  whole  was  at  length  enveloped  in  a mass  of  clay, 
which  was  then  baked  hard  in  an  oven,  and  the  whole 
of  the  melted  wax  model  allowed  to  flow  out  of  the 
ducts,  leaving  a most  perfect  mould  inside  the  clay. 
A vessel  cast  by  this  method  presents  a wonderfully 
smooth  surface,  and  is  quite  true,  and  ready  for  the 
wheel  on  which  it  is  turned  for  use.  The  extreme 
thinness,  trueness,  and  smoothness  of  the  casting  sur- 
passed anything  I had  ever  seen  before. 

7 


76 


IN  DO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Johore  is,  in  many  respects,  the  most  interesting 
Malayan  province  on  the  mainland.  It  is  separated 
from  Singapore  by  a narrow  strip  of  water,  and  it  is  in 
its  wild  forests  and  inland  mountains  that  we  meet 
with  a type  of  man  by  far  the  most  primitive  that  these 


JACOONS. 

regions  have  to  show.  These  are  the  Jacoons,  who, 
like  the  Orang-outan,  or  Mias  of  Borneo,  are  reported 
to  dwell  in  trees  ; and  yet  this  poor  remnant  of  an 
aboriginal  people  has  at  times  proved  of  more  use  to 
the  ruler  of  the  state  than  the  Malays  themselves. 


JACOONS. 


77 


The  Tumongong,  who  is  the  Malayan  chief  of 
Johore,  has  steadily  sought  the  friendly  intercourse 
and  council  of  his  English  neighbours ; and  in  place  of 
spending  all  his  leisure  in  the  time-honoured  science  of 
gambling,  in  cock-fighting,  and  in  his  harem,  he  has  set 
himself  to  the  task  of  developing  the  resources  of  his 
country.  He  has  planted  steam  saw-mills  at  the  point 
opposite  Singapore,  this  being  the  place  most  con- 
venient for  the  exportation  of  timber  ; and  he  has  run 
a line  of  rails  up  to  his  forests,  where  giant  specimens 
of  the  finest  timber  in  the  world  are  to  be  found. 
While  thus  making  clearings  on  new  soil,  and  offering 
facilities  for  the  industrious  Chinese  pioneer  to  settle  in 
his  dominions,  he  is  steadily  adding  to  his  resources  by 
the  export  of  wood  which  grows  in  unlimited  quantities 
in  his  vast  primeval  jungles.  But  while  doing  all  this, 
he  is  driving  from  their  wild  haunts  a simple,  untutored, 
and  most  interesting  type  of  the  human  family,  the 
Jacoons,  to  whom  I have  referred.  This  is  a race 
living  almost  solely  on  the  bounty  of  nature,  in  the 
food-producing  trees  and  shrubs  that  grow  wild  in  the 
interior.  They  are  said  to  be  the  true  aboriginal 
inhabitants  of  the  land.  The  pure  specimens  among 
them  are  woolly-haired  and  dark-skinned  ; the  same 
sort  of  people,  indeed,  whom  we  meet  with  in  the 
Papuans  of  New  Guinea,  in  the  natives  of  many  of 
the  Pacific  islands,  and  in  the  mountains  of  Indo- 
China.  My  only  regret  is  that  I do  not  know  more 
about  them.  They  have  been  used  in  various  ways 
by  the  Tumongong,  in  cutting  wood  and  clearing  a 
route  for  the  railway.  They,  however,  detest  the 
Malays,  and  hold  no  direct  intercourse  with  them. 


78 


1ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Siam — The  Menam  River — Bangkok — Buddhist  Temples — The  King, 
Defender  of  his  Faith — Missions — Buddhist  Priests — The  Priest  in  his 
Cell — The  first  King’s  Visit  to  the  Wats — The  Court  of  the  Dead — 
Chinese  Speculator  investing  in  a Corpse — The  Krum-mun-along- 
kot — An  Inventor  wanted— Taking  the  King’s  Portrait — The  King 
describes  the  Tonsure  Ceremony — The  King’s  Request — Mode  of 
administering  Justice — Gambling — Floating  Houses — A Trip  to 
Ayuthia — Creek  Life — Visit  to  Fetchiburee. 


The  Menam,  or  Mother  of  Waters,  is  for  some  miles 
above  its  entrance  a broad,  sluggish,  and  uninteresting 
stream,  flowing  between  low  banks,  and  flat  alluvial 
plains.  When  I visited  Siam  in  the  steamer  * Chow 
Phya,’  I went  ashore  at  Paknam,  the  first  town  on  the 
river,  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  a native  officer  who 
had  charge  of  the  customs  station,  and  who  honoured 
me  with  an  audience  at  his  residence.  There  I found 
him  surrounded  by  a group  of  crouching  slaves,  by  half- 
a-dozen  children,  and  by  as  many  wives.  The  impres- 
sion the  scene  made  is  still  fresh  in  my  recollection. 
The  house  and  inmates  differed  from  anything  I had 
ever  come  across  among  the  Malays  or  Chinese  ; nor 
were  tokens  of  refinement  wanting,  in  embroidered 
wedge-shaped  cushions,  couches  covered  with  finely 
plaited  mats,  wrought  vessels  of  gold  or  silver,  and 
robes  of  silken  attire.  The  cool  and  peculiar  fashion  of 
dressing  the  hair,  adopted  by  both  sexes,  alike  resembled 


THE  MEN  AM  RIVER , SIAM. 


79 


an  inverted  horse-brush  laid  upon  the  crown  of  the 
head.  But  the  sanitary  arrangements  were  extremely 
defective ; oppressive  odours  of  putrid  fish  and  garlic 
pervaded  the  establishment,  while  the  dresses  of  the 
party,  though  finely  wrought,  were  insufficient  for  the 
purposes  of  decency,  according  to  our  own  more  fas- 
tidious Western  tastes.  Everywhere,  from  Paknam  to 
Bangkok,  we  fell  in  with  numbers  of  the  people,  but  with 
few  who  were  not  boating,  or  bathing  themselves  in  the 
stream.  Here  and  there  a scattered  hamlet  stood  up 
above  the  steaming,  unwholesome,  moschetto-haunted 
marshes,  like  some  giant  grasshopper  sunning  its  back 
while  it  cooled  its  feet  in  the  mud. 

As  we  near  the  capital,  the  scenery  grows  more  in- 
teresting and  varied.  Palms,  fruit-trees,  and  groves  of 
feathery  bamboo,  diversify  the  plains ; and  the  latter, 
when  covered  with  half-grown  crops  of  rice,  present  a 
vast  surface  of  vivid  and  beautiful  green.  I arrived  in 
Bangkok  on  September  28,  1865,  and  steamed  up 
through  the  floating  city  in  the  dimness  of  the  early 
morning  light.  It  is  a place  which  other  travellers 
have  already  described  ; yet,  as  I spent  some  time  there, 
the  reader  will  pardon  me  if  I give  my  own  impressions 
of  what  struck  me  as  its  most  remarkable  features. 
When  I use  the  term  * floating  city,’  I mean  to  say  that 
the  dwellings  of  the  people  are  for  the  most  part  afloat 
on  rafts,  and  it  is  impossible  at  first  sight  to  determine 
where  land  begins,  and  where  it  ends.  Before  proceed- 
ing to  describe  these  aquatic  abodes  and  their  amphi- 
bious-looking inhabitants,  I must  remind  the  reader 
that  my  first  ideas  as  to  the  splendour  of  this  oriental 
city  were  gathered  at  dawn,  when  I was  gazing  upon 
the  towers  and  roofs  of  more  than  half  a hundred 


8o 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


temples,  standing  each  of  them  in  its  own  consecrated 
ground.  I enquired  of  what  material  these  strange  edi- 
fices were  made,  for  their  towers  seemed  ablaze  as  with 
jewels,  and  sparkled  like  refined  gold.  The  thought 
(I  confess)  crossed  my  mind,  how  great  a profit 
some  powerful  Christian  government  might  secure  by 
despoiling  these  heathen  idols,  and  pulling  down  these 
‘ summer-palace  ' looking  shrines  ! But  the  reply  to  my 
enquiry  somewhat  modified  my  views,  and  I learnt  to 
my  disappointment  that  these  temples  are  nothing 
more  than  brick  and  mortar  embellished  with  gilding, 
foreign  soup-plates,  and  bits  of  coloured  glass.  A trader, 
as  I afterwards  learnt,  not  many  years  back,  imported 
a ship-load  of  foreign  crockery,  including  toilet-services, 
dinner-services,  dessert-services,  and  other  miscellaneous 
china  wares.  But  the  stock  was  long  in  tempting 
buyers,  and  remained  unprofitably  on  the  owner’s  hands. 
At  last,  however,  he  persuaded  a wealthy  native  noble- 
man, who  was  engaged  in  the  completion  of  a Buddhist 
shrine,  to  invest  in  the  lot,  assuring  his  purchaser  that 
in  European  places  of  worship  hand-basins  and  other 
less  ornamental  but  highly  useful  vessels  were  esteemed 
the  most  recherche  adornments.  The  simple-minded 
devotee  proceeded  in  all  good  faith  to  decorate  his 
temple,  sticking  willow-pattern  pudding-plates  a-row  in 
the  plaster,  and  working  hand-basins  or  dish-covers 
fantastically  into  the  balconies  and  parapet  ornamenta- 
tion. But  the  deception  was  not  long  in  coming  out, 
and  the  trader  in  consequence  lost  his  reputation, 
together  with  all  future  prospect  of  business  with  the 
Siamese.  It  was  said,  and  I believe  with  truth,  that  he 
was  even  never  paid  for  the  crockery,  some  of  which 
may  still  be  seen  imbedded  immovably  in  the  mortar, 


SIAMESE  BUDDHIST  TEMPLES. 


8 1 


to  point  a silent  moral  on  the  consequence  of  commer- 
cial disingenuousness.  Temple  spires  in  Siam  are 
decorated,  most  of  them,  with  rich  mosaics  of  glass, 
porcelain,  and  enamel,  and  present,  as  they  shine  in  the 
sunlight,  a dazzling  coruscation  which  it  is  difficult  to 
describe.  These  edifices  are  usually  erected  during 
the  lifetime  or  out  of  the  proceeds  of  the  estate  of  some 
nobleman,  as  sacred  and  meritorious  works.  There 
were,  as  nearly  as  I could  make  out,  sixty-five  Buddhist 
temples  in  the  city  during  the  time  of  my  visit,  and 
the  priests  attached  to  these  numbered  more  than  nine 
thousand.  Bangkok  is  one  of  the  great  Buddhist  centres, 
and  the  faith  there  is  of  a purer  type  than  in  the  Chinese 
Empire,  where  the  teachings  of  Gautama  are  mixed  up 
with  Taouism,  with  Confucianism,  and  with  the  remains 
of  a form  of  worship  still  earlier  even  than  these.  No 
Siamese  is  qualified  for  an  official  position  until  he  has 
been  at  least  three  months  in  the  cloister,  wearing  the 
yellow  robes  of  Buddhism,  and  performing  the  services 
of  a priest. 

The  King  himself  is  High  Priest,  and  defender 
of  the  faith.  The  late  monarch  spent  about  thirty  years 
in  monastic  seclusion  before  he  ascended  the  throne, 
and  the  distinguished  reputation  for  his  knowledge  of 
Sanscrit  and  Pali  scholarship,  which  he  subsequently  en- 
joyed, was  due  to  his  having  made  the  Buddhist  litera- 
ture his  study  throughout  this  period  of  his  career. 
Late  in  life  he  turned  his  attention  to  English,  and  at- 
tained such  a proficiency  in  that  language  as  enabled 
him  to  write  and  converse  in  it  with  comparative  ease, 
though  with  an  idiomatic  quaintness  and  force  of  ex- 
pression by  which  his  not  unfrequent  communications 
to  the  ‘ Bangkok  Recorder’  were  at  once  detected. 


82 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA . 


signature  of  the  Buddhist  Champion,  and  in  these  he 
sought  to  defend  and  vindicate  his  own  creed.  These 
letters  were  answered  by  the  late  and  much-esteemed 
Dr.  Bradley,  who  spent  his  life  as  a Protestant  mis- 
sionary in  Siam.  Among  other  things  the  King  main- 
tained that  Buddhist  images  were  never  set  up  as 
objects  of  worship.  These  images,  always  so  remark- 


He  disliked  to  have  his  Anglo- Siamese  manuscripts 
mutilated  or  corrected;  and  for  this  reason  he  established 
a royal  printing-office,  where  his  English,  probably 
under  penalty  of  death,  was  set  up  just  as  it  was  written 
down.  At  one  time  a series  of  letters  from  his  pen 
were  published  in  the  ‘ Bangkok  Recorder'  under  the 


SIAMESE  BUDDHIST  PRIEST. 


BUDDHIST  IMAGES. 


83 


able  for  their  expression  of  perfect  serenity  and  repose, 
were  simply  designed  to  aid  the  souls  of  the  devout  in 
their  abstracting  themselves  from  all  the  cares  and  strife 
of  natural  existence,  and  in  reaching  that  supreme  in- 
animate repose  typified  by  the  idol,  and  regarded  as  the 
chief  attribute  of  the  great  Gautama  himself. 

1'his  is  all  very  well  for  the  cultured  Buddhist,  but 
then  there  are  millions  of  men  in  Siam  and  China  who 
hardly  know  who  Buddha  was,  and  who  have  an 
ignorant  belief  in  the  images  themselves.  The  King 
admitted  that  the  ‘teveda’  (or  angels)  of  the  temples 
were  more  or  less  mythological  characters.  He  did  not 
know  whether  they  had  any  real  existence,  or  what  sort 
of  duties  they  were  designed  to  fulfil.  ‘ If  Christians,' 
he  said,  * have  more  prosperity  than  any  other  sect,  if 
they  have  more  wealth,  live  to  a greater  age,  have  more 
happiness,  and  do  not  grow  old,  nor  die,  nor  do  not 
become  poor,  I will  agree  with  you  that  the  Christian 
religion  is  indeed  a blessing.  But  this  blessing  I do 
not  yet  see,  and  how  can  I hold  it  ? ’ Another  style  of 
argument,  and  one  not  so  easy  to  confute,  was  that 
Christians  are  disagreed  among  themselves  as  to  what 
their  creed  should  be.  There  was  only  one  Christ,  and 
there  are  a great  many  different  sects  ; the  broadest 
differences  existing  between  Roman  Catholics  and  re- 
formed churches,  while  narrower  shades  of  faith  divide 
the  Protestant  ranks.  The  King  therefore  summed  up 
his  case  by  the  very  natural  enquiry  as  to  how  he  was 
to  determine  which  sect  was  in  the  right. 

But  after  all  there  is  no  more  uniformity  of  doc- 
trine among  the  Buddhists  than  is  to  be  found  within 
the  Christian  Church ; yet,  I cannot  forbear  remarking 
here,  that  in  the  Buddhist  countries  which  I have 


84 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


visited,  the  sectarianism  of  the  Christian  missions  is 
a great  bar  to  their  success.  If  Missionary  Societies 
would  but  unite,  if  they  would  but  sink  their  narrow 
differences,  and  agree  to  abide  by  one  scholarly  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  land  they 
labour  in,  they  would  by  so  doing  command  a far 
wider  influence  among  the  educated  and  influential 
classes  than  at  present,  unfortunately,  it  is  in  their 
power  to  do.  As  a rule,  the  missionaries  who  meet 
with  the  greatest  respect,  even  among  the  lower  orders 
of  the  natives,  are  the  men  of  the  highest  culture  and 
attainments ; those  indeed,  who  made  the  greatest 
sacrifices  when  they  abandoned  their  home  and  pros- 
pects, to  work  on  with  patient  long-suffering,  and  in 
obscurity,  in  these  distant  heathen  lands.  Each  Budd- 
hist monastery  is  in  charge  of  an  abbot  or  chief  priest, 
who  receives  a small  monthly  stipend  from  the 
Government  or  noble  to  whom  the  establishment  be- 
longs. Under  the  abbots  are  the  priests,  the  novices, 
and  the  pupils  ; the  latter  receiving  their  education 
at  the  hands  of  the  monks,  who  are  the  only  school- 
masters in  the  land.  When  twenty  years  of  age,  the 
novice,  if  he  chooses,  may  be  ordained  a priest ; and 
shaving  his  head  and  eyebrows  anew,  and  donning 
the  full  canonicals  of  his  yellow-robed  order,  he 
takes  the  priestly  vows.  Indolent  persons  and  men  of 
doubtful  character  not  unfrequently  take  to  the  cloister, 
for  reasons  best  known  to  themselves.  Each  Wat  or 
temple  contains  as  many  of  the  sacred  order  as  the 
neighbourhood  can  afford  to  feed.  Every  morning,  at 
daybreak,  these  pauper  priests  may  be  met  going  their 
rounds  by  land  in  silent  Indian  file,  or  else  sitting  like 
Buddhas,  in  their  small  canoes,  which  their  pupils 


A BUDDHIST  MONK. 


85 


paddle  for  them  from  house  to  house.  Mutely  they 
halt  before  each  door,  and  await  the  dole  of  rice,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  on  which  they  depend  for  support,  the 
bundles  of  burees  (cigars)  and  their  scraps  of  betel- 
nut  and  seri,  with  which  their  long  hours  of  leisure  are 
to  be  beguiled.  Their  chambers  in  the  monasteries 
are  almost  like  prison  cells.  One  priest  I knew  well, 
and  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting,  divided  his  atten- 
tion between  the  pursuits  of  literature,  perfect  self-ab- 
sorption, and  the  taming  of  a colony  of  white  rats  and 
mice.  This  devotee’s  cell  was  lit  by  a small  window, 
and  screened  by  a faded  filthy  Buddhist  robe,  which 
allowed  a feeble  streak  of  sunshine  to  struggle  into  the 
cold  interior.  At  one  end  of  the  apartment  there  was  a 
simple  platform  of  wood,  covered  by  a straw  mat.  On 
this  he  slept  at  night ; on  this  he  sat,  wrapped  in  silent 
meditation,  brooding  over  his  sins  by  day. 

Above,  in  a dark  corner,  was  a cage  where  his  little 
favourites  were  busily  at  work  upon  a tread-mill. 
These  rats  and  mice  he  tended  with  the  most  peculiar 
care,  because  their  white  skins  have  a sacred  signifi- 
cance for  the  Buddhists,  and  each  tiny  body  may  con- 
tain, as  is  supposed,  the  spirit  of  some  Buddha  of  the 
future. 

A number  of  sacred  books  on  a shelf,  one  or  two 
bowls  of  brass  or  coarse  eathenware,  and  a mat  on  the 
clay  floor,  completed  the  furniture  of  the  dwelling. 
This  recluse  had  a taste  for  drawing,  and  was  occupied 
in  decorating  the  inner  wall  of  a royal  Wat  with  ob- 
jects of  Buddhist  mythology.  The  cartoons  produced 
were  remarkable  for  gracefulness  of  outline,  richness  of 
colouring,  and  strange  imagery  ; the  faces  of  several  he 
copied  from  photographs,  and  other  pictures  which  I 


86 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


supplied  to  him  ; and  he  would  experiment  sometimes 
with  my  water-colours,  though,  on  the  whole  he  pre- 
ferred his  own,  or  those  of  Chinese  make.  The 
majority  of  the  Buddhist  priests  in  Siam  are,  I suspect, 
but  moderate  scholars.  They  can  read  Siamese  of 
course,  and  possess,  some  few  of  them,  a smattering  of 
Pali  ; but,  though  they  profess  greatly  to  venerate 
Sanscrit,  theirs  is  the  reverence  of  the  ignorant,  rather 
than  an  admiration  for  that  which  they  really  com- 
prehend. I make  this  remark  from  the  fact  that,  after 
my  visit  to  Cambodia,  a number  of  the  most  noted 
priests  translated  one  or  two  of  the  inscriptions  found 
on  the  ancient  temples  in  that  country.  But  although 
the  original  texts  were  in  every  case  the  same,  the 
renderings  were  never  alike.  My  fellow-traveller,  Mr. 
Kennedy,  who  is  now  at  work  translating  these  in- 
scriptions, has  found  them  to  be  in  an  ancient  Pali 
character,  much  allied  to  the  Kawi  of  the  Javanese  ; 
and  had  the  priests  been  able  to  travel  at  all  beyond 
the  strict  language  of  their  own  sacred  books,  they 
would  assuredly  have  made  these  inscriptions  out. 
The  late  King  of  Siam  was  a man  of  a different  stamp  ; 
had  he  given  his  attention  to  this  subject,  I feel  no 
doubt  that  he  could  have  translated  the  inscriptions 
into  Siamese,  at  any  rate,  if  not  into  the  English 
tongue. 

It  is  the  annual  custom  for  the  King,  in  the  month 
of  November,  to  visit  certain  royal  temples,  and  to 
make  offerings  to  their  priests.  On  these  occasions  the 
monarch  may  be  seen  arrayed  in  all  the  splendour  of 
his  jewelled  robes,  enthroned  in  his  state  barge,  and 
paddled  by  about  a hundred  men.  Behind  him  follow 
the  nobles  of  his  court,  almost  as  grand,  and  thus  the 


THE  KING  OK  SIAM’S  STATE  BARGE 


I VAT  SEKET. 


87 


pageant  moves  in  long  procession  down  the  river  or 
along  its  network  of  canals.  This  ‘ progress  ’ in  boats 
was  one  of  the  most  imposing  spectacles  I ever  beheld 
in  the  East.  I do  not,  however,  suppose  that  either  the 
first  or  second  Kings  ever  visited  Wat  Seket,  or  even 
the  outer  precints  of  that  temple.  The  principal  build- 
ing at  Wat  Seket  is  a huge  unfinished  pile  of  bricks 
and  mortar — intended,  as  I suppose,  to  symbolize  Mount 
Meru,  the  centre  of  the  Buddhist  universe — the  sum- 
mit of  which  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  palm 
groves,  and  house  roofs  of  Bangkok  ; but  the  special, 
and  most  melancholy  feature  of  this  sacred  edifice  is  a 
court  in  the  rear,  where  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  who 
have  no  friends  to  bury  them,  are  cast  out  to  the  dogs 
and  vultures  to  be  devoured.  I paid  one  visit  to  that 
place.  Few  would  willingly  turn  their  steps  thither  a 
second  time!  Following  a narrow  path  through  an 
avenue  of  trees,  we  came  at  length  upon  a walled-in 
enclosure  intended  for  the  reception  of  the  dead.  In 
the  centre  stood  a small  charnel  house,  while  the  pave- 
ment round  about  was  covered  with  black  stains  and 
littered  with  human  bones,  bleached  white  by  the  sun. 
An  overpowering  stench  of  carrion  pervaded  the 
atmosphere  of  the  place.  On  a sudden  the  light  was 
obscured,  and  down  dropped  a troop  of  vultures  from 
the  trees  above,  lazily  flapping  their  dry  parchment- 
looking wings,  and  sweeping  a pestilential  blast  into 
our  faces  as  they  rustled  slowly  through  the  air.  Next 
a hungry  pack  of  mangy  dogs  rushed  howling  into  the 
enclosure.  And  then,  tardily  wending  its  way  up  the 
avenue,  followed  a procession  of  slaves  and  mourners, 
bearing  a naked  corpse  upon  a bier.  We  made  way 
for  this  funeral  train,  and  saw  them  deposit  the  dead 


88 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


body  upon  the  ground  ; the  vultures  meanwhile  limping 
forward  with  a whistling,  jerking  noise,  thrusting  out 
their  ba*e  scaly  necks  to  within  a few  feet  of  the 
corpse,  and  only  kept  off  by  an  attendant  with  the 
aid  of  a bamboo  rod.  At  length,  when  the  funeral 
train  had  withdrawn,  the  leader  of  the  vultures  ran 
forward,  tapped  the  corpse  on  the  forehead  to  make 
sure  that  life  was  extinct,  and  then,  in  an  instant,  had 
scooped  out  its  eyes.  Horror-stricken,  we  rushed 
away  from  the  spot,  and  left  these  ill-omened  birds  to 
feast  and  squabble  over  their  prey.  This  was  by  no 
means  the  only  sickening  sight  I encountered  in 
Bangkok.  . One  day,  when  passing  along  the  main 
thoroughfare  in  the  city,  I found  a Chinaman  seated 
by  a temple  gate,  with  a naked  corpse  at  his  feet.  His 
object  was  to  collect  contributions  from  the  devout  to 
defray  the  costs  of  cremation.  The  Siamese  responded 
well  to  his  appeal,  as  they  believe  that  by  practising 
acts  of  charity  they  will  win  favour  in  a future  state. 
But  as  for  the  Chinaman,  he  had  purchased  the  body 
as  a pure  speculation.  He  was,  indeed,  bound  to  burn 
it,  and  he  had  paid  the  bereaved  family  about  half-a- 
crown,  promising  to  remove  their  deceased  relative  and 
burn  him  at  a Wat.  Out  of  the  money  collected  by  an 
exhibition  so  sensational,  this  curious  undertaker 
supplied  funds  for  firewood,  and  pocketed  a handsome 
balance. 

I applied,  through  the  British  Consul,  for  permission 
to  photograph  the  first  King’s  palace.  This  was  at 
once  conceded,  and  his  majesty  was  pleased  to  ap- 
point a day  on  which  I should  take  his  own  portrait  as 
well.  The  King  requested  me  to  visit  his  abode  on 
Monday,  October  6,  in  the  company  of  the  Krum- 


AT?  UM-MUN-  AL  ONGKOT. 


89 


mun-alongkot,  a nobleman  holding  the  position  of 
chief  astronomer,  that  is,  the  head  of  the  astrologers 
attached  to  the  palace.  His  majesty’s  letter  informed 
me,  among  other  things,  that  his  royal  brother  ‘ was 
well  understanding  of  the  work  of  taking  photographs, 
and  being  with  Mr.  Thomson  will  have  good  oppor- 
tunity to  do  according  to  his  pleasure  in  and  about  this 
palace.’  Here  was  indeed  a fine  sample  of  ‘Siamese 
king’s  English.’  I found  the  Krum-mun  an  agree- 
able old  mandarin,  but,  if  anything,  a little  inclined  to 
boast  of  his  own  scientific  attainments.  He  stood 
about  five  feet  four  inches,  and  was  53  years  of  age  ; 
but  he  wore  a very  haggard  expression,  and  indeed 
looked  much  older  than  he  really  was.  He  was 
dressed,  when  at  home,  in  a light  jacket,  much  too 
small  to  cover  him,  and  wore  a band  of  silk  around 
his  loins.  His  shrunken  limbs  were  bare,  and  his  feet 
encased  in  richly-embroidered  slippers ; but  on  other 
occasions,  when  he  paid  me  a visit,  for  example,  he 
assumed  much  more  ample  and  costly  attire,  putting 
the  last  finish  to  the  whole  toilet  by  covering  his  head 
with  a European  cap,  braided  all  over  with  gold  lace. 
Mahomet  Ali,  a Malay  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Ames, 
the  commissioner  of  police,  acted  as  my  interpreter, 
translating  the  Siamese  into  Malay.  Ali  was,  however, 
sometimes  at  a loss  to  make  out  the  prince’s  words,  as 
his  mouth  was  frequently  stuffed  with  a ball  of  seri- 
leaf  and  betel.  Although  kind  and  hospitable,  the 
prince  was  not  a man  calculated  to  inspire  awe  into  his 
beholders.  Around  his  singular  figure  were  grouped 
a number  of  his  attendants  and  slaves,  who  crowded 
reverently  on  their  hands  and  knees.  The  room  in 
which  we  were  received  was  filled  with  foreign  ma 


9o 


IND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


chinery,  scientific  instruments,  and  articles  of  domestic 
use.  In  one  corner  there  was  a telegraphic  machine, 
backed  by  a statue  of  Buddha.  In  the  lap  of  the 
image  there  was  a Siamese  flute  (the  idol  was  off 
duty  and  under  repair),  and  an  electro-plated  coffee-pot, 
which  had  evidently  been  forced  into  some  unnatural 
use.  There  were  also  watch- tools,  turning-lathes,  and 
telescopes,  guitars,  tom-toms,  fiddles,  and  hand-saws ; 
while  betel-nut  boxes,  swords,  spears,  and  shoe-brushes, 
rifles,  revolvers,  windsor-soap,  rat-paste,  brass  wire, 
and  beer  bottles,  were  mingled  in  heterogeneous  con- 
fusion. 

Having  been  dismissed  to  a sumptuous  native 
repast,  served  up  for  me  in  one  of  the  smaller  apart- 
ments, I rejoined  my  conductor  at  the  King’s  palace 
gate. 

Before  leaving  this  subject,  I must  confess  that  I 
was  surprised  at  the  ingenuity  which  this  royal  astro- 
nomer displayed,  and  at  his  honest  desire  to  understand 
the  foreign  instruments  which  he  set  up  in  his  apart- 
ment for  contemplation.  One  day  he  took  a very  fine 
sextant  to  pieces  in  order  to  discover  how  it  had  been 
constructed,  and  having  fathomed  the  mystery,  he  felt 
very  grateful  to  me  for  helping  him  to  set  it  again 
together.  Another  time  he  called  upon  me  with  a 
royal  letter  in  a splendid  gold  case,  which  set  forth 
that  his  brother  the  King  (who  was  a decided  wag)  had 
commanded  him  to  find  a foreign  inventor,  a man  who 
could  invent  anything,  and  he  wished  to  know  how 
much  monthly  salary  such  a genius  would  require. 
The  King,  he  said,  desired  when  taking  an  airing  of  an 
evening  to  indulge  freely  in  shooting  his  subjects ; 
but  the  gun  must  be  planned  so  that  the  progress  of 


AN  INVENTOR  WANTED. 


9i 


the  ball  would  be  arrested  when  it  had  just  penetrated 
half  an  inch  beneath  the  skin.  He  only  wanted,  in 
this  way,  to  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  his  people 
by  firing  at  them  and  then  miraculously  saving 
their  lives.  My  noble  friend  Krum-mun-alongkot 
may  have  been  a very  accomplished  Siamese  astro- 
nomer, able  to  determine,  from  the  march  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  through  stellar  space,  whether  the 
year,  as  it  passed,  was  that  of  the  rat,  the  hog,  or  the 
goat ; but  although  he  had  a number  of  our  finest 
instruments,  he  had  made  but  little  progress  in  the 
science  as  we  understand  it.  His  sextants  and  quadrants 
were  out  of  adjustment,  his  chronometers  refused  to 
keep  time,  and  the  lenses  of  his  telescopes  were 
dimmed  with  oxidation.  I found  him  one  day  busily 
studying  ‘ Thomson’s  Tables  ; ’ but  the  book  was  upside 
down,  and  he  gave  it  up  in  despair  as  he  was  called  off 
to  put  a fresh  spoke  in  a wheel  of  a royal  carriage. 

After  we  had  become  better  acquainted,  he  intro- 
duced me  to  his  family  circle.  He  had,  I believe, 
sixteen  wives,  although  I never  saw  more  than  twelve 
at  a time ; some  of  these  were  young  and  pretty,  but 
no  less  timid  in  their  behaviour,  than  unhappy  in  their 
looks.  He  told  me  it  was  a difficult  task  to  keep  his 
wives  cheerful ; they  were  modest  and  graceful  ladies, 
and  they  expressed  their  surprise  that  a foreigner  was 
after  all  a very  harmless  sort  of  animal.  They  were 
usually  engaged  in  embroidery,  and  their  needlework 
displayed  both  beauty  of  design  and  skill.  I thought 
it  a pity  to  see  them  smoking  cigarettes,  or  chewing 
betel-nuts,  the  teeth  blackened  with  the  incrustation, 
and  their  mouths  disfigured  with  blood-red  juice  ; they 
had  also  perforce  a nasty  habit  of  spitting  into  golden 


92 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


vases  which  their  slaves  held  up  dutifully  for  the  pur- 
pose. As  for  the  children,  they  seemed  to  be  born 
with  a cigarette  in  their  mouths.  I have  actually  seen 
a child  leave  its  mother’s  breast  to  have  a smoke. 
This  buree  or  cigarette  is  made  of  native  tobacco, 
rolled  up  in  a strip  of  dried  plantain  leaf,  and  cut  even 
at  the  two  ends.  These  cigarettes  may  be  bought  in 


SIAMESE  LADY. 


bundles  of  one  hundred  for  a few  cents,  and  are  really 
very  good  smoking. 

But  to  the  palace.  In  front  of  the  entrance  gates 
we  found  a guard  of  soldiers  drawn  up,  who  presented 
arms  to  the  Prince  as  he  passed  through.  Soon 
we  reached  an  inner  court,  and  there  fell  in  with  a 
group  of  nobles,  who  crouched  upon  the  pavement 
before  our  royal  guide,  and  seemed,  many  of  them, 
as  if  vainly  anxious  to  render  their  portly  figures 


THE  LATE  FIRST  KING  OF  SIAM. 


93 


invisible  to  a personage  of  such  exalted  rank.  After 
a pleasant  refreshment  of  fruit,  cake,  and  wine,  we 
were  informed  that  his  majesty  was  engaged  in  his 
morning  devotions,  and  that  during  his  absence  we 
could  amuse  ourselves  by  examining  the  objects  of 
interest  in  the  audience  hall.  This  palace  has  been 
constructed  partially  in  a foreign  style.  A flight  of 
broad  marble  steps  conducts  us  within  the  audience 
hall,  and  facing  us,  as  we  enter,  is  the  throne  of  state, 
ablaze  with  gold  and  jewels,  and  erected  in  the  centre 
of  the  back  wall  of  the  apartment.  The  furniture  in 
the  room  made  up  a miscellaneous  collection  of  Chinese, 
Siamese,  and  European  wares  ; the  pillars  were  covered 
with  polished  brass  to  the  height  of  four  feet  above 
their  bases.  At  one  end  of  the  hall  were  life-sized 
portraits  of  Napoleon  III.  and  the  Empress  of  the 
French,  while  a well-executed  picture  of  the  late 
Siamese  King  adorned  the  opposite  side  of  the  apart- 
ment. A shrill  blast  of  horns  heralded  the  approach 
of  the  King,  and  caused  us  hastily  to  descend  into  the 
court  His  majesty  entered  through  a massive  gate- 
way, and  I must  confess  that  I felt  much  impressed 
by  his  appearance,  as  I had  never  been  in  the  presence 
of  an  anointed  sovereign  before.  He  stood  about  five 
feet  eight  inches,  and  his  figure  was  erect  and  com- 
manding ; but  an  expression  of  severe  gravity  was 
settled  on  his  somewhat  haggard  face.  His  dress  was 
a robe  of  spotless  white,  which  reached  right  down  to 
his  feet ; his  head  was  bare.  I was  admiring  the 
simplicity  and  purity  of  this  attire,  when  his  majesty 
beckoned  to  me  to  approach  him,  and  informed  me 
that  he  wished  to  have  his  portrait  taken  as  he  knelt 
in  an  attitude  of  prayer.  I accordingly  adjusted  my 


94 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


instrument,  but  not  without  a feeling  of  some  surprise, 
for  I had  thought,  incorrectly,  as  I afterwards  dis- 
covered, that  a Buddhist  had  no  need  of  prayer.  All 
was  prepared  beneath  a space  in  the  court,  which  had 
been  canopied  and  carpeted  for  this  special  purpose ; 
when,  just  as  I was  about  to  take  the  photograph,  his 
majesty  changed  his  mind,  and  without  a word  to  any- 
one passed  suddenly  out  of  sight.  I thought  this  a 
strange  proceeding,  and  fancied  I must  have  given 
him  some  offence ; but  it  was  possibly  only  one  of  his 
practical  jokes.  I appealed  to  the  Prince ; but  his 
reply  was  simply  that  ‘ the  King  does  everything  which 
is  right,  and  if  I were  to  accost  him  now  he  might 
conclude  his  morning’s  work  by  cutting  off  my  head.’ 
As  that  would  have  been  a result  distasteful  to  his 
royal  highness,  we  patiently  waited,  and  at  length 
the  King  reappeared,  dressed  this  time  in  a sort  of 
French  Field  Marshal’s  uniform.  There  was  no 
cotton  stuff  visible  about  his  person  now,  not  even 
stockings.  The  portrait  was  a great  success,  and  his 
majesty  afterwards  sat  in  his  court  robes,  requesting 
me  to  place  him  where  and  how  I pleased.  I con- 
sulted the  Prince,  who  said — ‘ Yes,  place  him,  but  do 
not  for  the  life  of  you  lay  hands  on  him,  more  especi- 
ally on  his  thrice  sacred  head.’ 

Here  was  a difficultly.  How  to  pose  an  Oriental 
potentate  who  has  ideas  of  his  own  as  to  propriety  in 
attitude,  and  that,  too,  without  touching  a fold  of  his 
garments  ? I told  the  King,  in  plain  English,  what  I 
wanted  to  do,  and  he  said,  ‘ Mr.  Town-slum,  do  what 
you  require  for  the  excellency  of  your  photograph.’ 
He  enquired  my  nationality.  I told  him  I was  born 
in  Edinburgh.  ‘ Ah  ! you  are  Scotchman,  and  speak 


THE  TONSURE  FESTIVAL. 


95 


English  I can  understand  ; there  are  Englishmen  here 
who  have  not  understanding  of  their  own  language 
when  I speak.’ 

When  all  had  been  finished,  his  majesty  thanked 
me  and  retired,  and  then  the  Krum-mun-alongkot 
invited  me  to  join  him  at  a table  spread  with  Siamese 
and  foreign  delicacies.  The  nobles  also,  at  his  high- 
ness’s invitation,  added  their  presence  to  the  repast. 

By  request  of  the  King  I afterwards  attended  the 
great  Tonsure  Festival,  or  So-Kan,  as  the  Siamese  call 
it,  when  the  heir-apparent,  Prince  Chowfa  Chul-along- 
korn,  who  has  since  come  to  the  throne,  was  deprived 
of  the  top-knot  of  his  boyhood  for  the  first  time — a 
solemn  hair-cutting  ceremony  conducted  with  all  the 
pride,  pomp,  and  circumstance  of  a sacred  Brahminical 
rite.  The  festival  lasted  six  days,  and  was  concluded 
on  January  6,  1866. 

Within  the  grounds  of  the  first  King’s  palace,  there 
is  a large  paved  quadrangle  surrounded  by  picturesque 
buildings  of  an  architecture  purely  Siamese,  and 
shaded,  here  and  there,  by  the  wide-spreading  banyan 
and  other  umbrageous  trees ; flowering  shrubs  adorn 
this  enclosure,  and  in  the  centre  there  had  been  erected, 
by  the  King’s  command,  an  artificial  hill  known  as 
Mount  Khrai-lat,  and  bearing  a tiny  shrine  upon  its 
summit.  In  this  shrine  were  deposited  the  sacred 
vessels,  a throne  for  the  reigning  sovereign,  and  a 
font  of  holy  water  which  the.  priests  of  Brahma  had 
blessed.  As  to  the  hill  itself,  it  rested  on  a strong 
substructure  of  teak-wood,  and  was  entirely  made  up, 
externally,  of  thin  sheets  of  lead  ; so  fashioned  as  to  re- 
present a variety  of  rocks  and  fantastic  caverns  with 
tanks  for  water  hollowed  here  and  there.  The  whole  had 


96 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


been  artfully  painted  and  patched  with  moss,  while 
living  trees  and  flowers  were  stuck  about  it  in  a pro- 
fusion that  far  outstripped  nature  in  her  most  gorgeous 
tropical  luxuriance. 

Perhaps  the  most  important,  certainly  the  most 
conspicuous  feature,  in  the  pageant  was  the  procession 
which  each  afternoon  escorted  the  young  Prince  thrice 
round  the  sacred  Mount  Khrai-lat.  This  procession 
was  got  up  on  a scale  of  great  splendour.  The  chief 
members  of  the  nobility  marched  in  its  ranks,  arranged 
in  costumes  of  an  ancient  type  ; hundreds  of  the  King’s 
wives  followed,  glistening  in  silks  of  varied  hues  ; while 
female  slaves  dressed  up  to  represent  the  women  of 
various  foreign  nations  brought  up  the  rear  of  the 
phalanx.  The  imitations  of  English  ladies  were  par- 
ticularly ludicrous,  for  while  the  contrast  between  the 
graceful,  modest  native  costumes  and  the  huge  crino- 
line and  chignon  of  the  West,  could  not  fail  to  strike 
every  beholder,  the  awkward  carriage  and  the  faces 
stained  a golden  colour  till  they  looked  like  harvest 
moons,  gave  a rendering  of  the  pretty  English  originals, 
of  which  their  country  is  so  justly  proud,  rather  less 
faithful  than  a stiff  painted  Dutch  doll.  The  most  at- 
tractive element  in  the  whole  procession  was  a white- 
robed  band  of  children,  the  daughters  of  the  nobility, 
who  bore  peacocks’  feathers,  or  other  emblems,  in  front 
of  the  young  Prince’s  palanquin.  Three  of  the  ladies 
were  dressed  in  cloth  of  gold  jewelled  with  a dazzling 
array  of  precious  stones,  and  dancing  in  front  of  the 
throne.  Among  other  photographs  which  I took 
on  the  spot,  one  represents  his  majesty  as  he  receives 
his  son  and  places  him  on  his  right  hand,  amid  the 
simultaneous  adoration  of  the  prostrate  host.  Mrs. 


SACRED  BRA HM INI CA L NUMBERS. 


97 


Leonowens,  who  ought  to  have  known  better,  has 
made  use  of  this  photograph  in  a work  on  Siam  which 
recently  appeared  under  her  name,  and  described  it 
wrongly  as  * Receiving  a Princess.’ 

After  this  ceremony  two  ladies,  here  in  waiting, 
conduct  the  Prince  down  the  marble  steps  of  the 
Pavilion,  and  two  pretty  young  damsels  are  in 
readiness  below  to  ‘bathe  his  feet  in  a silver  urn.’ 
Thence  he  betakes  himself  to  a temple  hard  by,  where 
the  top-knot  is  solemnly  removed.  The  next  business 
is  to  dedicate  the  sacred  hill,  by  a sort  of  baptism  of 
fire,  the  priests  carrying  lighted  tapers  thrice  round  its 
base  on  three  successive  nights.  The  entire  ceremony 
is  long  and  tedious  ; but  I think  the  most  interesting 
feature  was  the  purificatory  ablution,  which  the  Prince 
performed  in  a tank  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Khrai-lat.  I 
believe,  however,  that  I was  the  only  European  who 
witnessed  this  important  part  of  the  Brahminical  cere- 
mony. It  is  curious  to  remark,  throughout  these 
ancient  Oriental  rites,  the  importance  attached  to  the 
sacred  numbers  three  and  nine.  Thus  we  find  that 
the  circle  of  fire  which  is  carried  round  the  Mount  is 
completed  three  times  each  day  for  three  days  in  suc- 
cession, in  all  making  up  nine  circles  of  fire.  The  same 
mystic  reverence  for  certain  numbers  may  be  observed 
in  parts  of  the  Chinese  Alar  as  well  as  in  the  ceremonial 
at  the  Temple  of  Heaven,  in  Peking.  There  we  have  a 
triple  terrace  and  triple  roofs,  while  nines,  or  multiples 
of  nine,  may  be  counted  in  the  steps  and  balustrades,  and 
even  in  every  circle  of  stones  with  which  the  terraces  and 
top  are  paved.  In  Cambodia,  also,  we  find  a kindred 
symbolism  in  the  three  chief  approaches  on  the  outer 
cruciform  pavement  of  Nakon-Wat,  in  the  three  gate- 


98 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ways  on  each  side,  in  the  three  terraces  leading  to  the 
central  tower,  and  in  the  three  ornaments  which  crown 
the  brows  of  the  Teveda  (angels)  sculptured  on  its 
walls.  Many  of  the  great  stone  images  of  Cambodia 
are  still  called  ‘ Phrom  ’ or  Brahma  by  the  natives,  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  three  galleries  of  this 
temple  were  designed  for  the  use  of  the  priests  in 
carrying  out  Brahminical  ceremonials,  after  the  pattern 
of  the  Sokan  and  other  Siamese  festivals.  I shall  per- 
haps have  more  to  say  on  this  point  when  we  reach 
the  succeeding  chapter. 

After  I returned  from  Cambodia  I witnessed  the 
actual  ceremony  of  cutting  the  top-knots  of  five  of  the 
second  King’s  sons.  The  first  King  having  sent  for 
me,  I had  accompanied  the  Prince  Krum-mun- 
alongkot,  to  await  his  majesty  in  an  outer  court  in 
the  palace  of  the  second  King.  There,  at  length,  I 
fell  into  the  procession  of  soldiers,  priests,  and 
Tevedas  or  angels,  marching  to  the  temple  in  which 
the  ceremony  was  to  be  performed.  In  the  front  court 
of  this  temple  we  were  detained  for  about  half  an 
hour,  and  then  his  majesty  came  out,  walked  up  to 
me,  and  gave  me  his  hand.  He  enquired  kindly  about 
our  journey,  said  he  was  glad  to  know  that  we  had 
got  safely  back,  but  could  not  forbear  wondering  why 
two  rational  Englishmen  should  undergo  so  long  a 
journey,  at  the  risk  of  being  either  devoured  by  wild 
animals,  or  carried  off  by  jungle  fever,  only  to  see 
some  stone  buildings  very  much  out  of  repair,  and  this 
more  especially  as  he  placed  no  restriction  upon  our 
looking  at  his  own  magnificent  Wats  in  Bangkok.  I 
presented  his  majesty  with  a set  of  my  photographs 
of  the  Cambodian  antiquities,  with  which  he  seemed 


AN  INTERVIEW  WITH  TIIE  KING. 


99 


very  much  astonished.  ‘What  can  I do  for  you,  Mr. 
Tomo-shun  ?’  said  he.  ‘ I will  give  you,  if  you  wish,  a 
free  passage  to  Singapore.’  Perhaps  he  took  me  for 
a ‘yak’  or  evil  spirit,  and  wanted  me  well  out  of  his 
dominions.  At  any  rate  he  may  have  honestly 
thought  that  anyone  who  would  take  the  trouble  to  go 
so  far  to  examine  dilapidated  specimens  of  ancient 
masonry  had  better  be  looked  upon  as  insane,  and 
treated  as  a dangerous  character.  This  conversation 
ended,  the  King  led  me  by  the  hand  to  the  door  of 
the  Wat,  and  there  described  to  me  the  hair-cutting 
ceremony.  I was  startled  by  the  unexpected  beauty 
of  the  scene  within.  The  walls  were  frescoed  with 
cartoons,  their  bright  colours  softened  by  the  dim 
religious  light ; while  at  the  inner  extremity  was  a 
pyramid  decked  with  flowers,  and  surmounted  by  a gilt 
image  of  Samana  Khodom.  The  floor  was  of  marble, 
and  there  was  a low  altar  in  the  centre,  on  which  a 
number  of  slender  tapers  burnt.  The  five  royal  chil- 
dren sat  to  the  left  of  this  altar,  robed  in  white,  and 
having  nobles  of  high  rank  on  their  right  hand. 
Arranged  in  circles  around  the  central  group  were 
others  of  the  King’s  children,  many  of  them  of  rare 
beauty,  and  all  perfectly  motionless  and  silent.  At 
length,  and  as  if  prompted  by  the  monotonous  strains 
of  music  that  broke  on  the  ear,  the  most  venerable 
noble  took  a lighted  taper  from  the  altar,  and  delivered 
it  to  the  outer  circle  of  priests,  who,  in  their  turn, 
passed  it  on  from  hand  to  hand,  until  the  fire  had  com- 
pleted the  circuit.  This  was  repeated  three  times,  and 
thus  the  objects  of  the  ceremonial  were  consecrated  by 
what  the  King  told  me  was  an  ancient  Brahminical 
ceremony,  and  which  we  have  seen  above  as  the  rite 


IOO 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


most  prominent  in  the  dedication  of  Mount  Khrai-lat. 
His  majesty  then  asked  me  if  I thought  that  the 
ancient  temples  of  Cambodia  belonged  to  Siam.  I 
said  I supposed  they  did,  and  he  promised  to  give  me 
some  information  on  that  subject  before  I quitted  his 
dominions.  Faithful  to  his  word,  the  King  afterwards 
paid  my  passage  to  Singapore,  and  presented  me,  in 
addition,  with  two  golden  mangoosteens  and  a cigar-case 
elaborately  inlaid  with  gold.  He  also  sent  me  a letter 
in  English,  from  which  I take  the  following  extract : 

‘ I beg  to  take  from  you  a promise  that  you  should 
state  everywhere  verbally,  or  in  books,  and  newspapers, 
public  papers,  that  those  provinces  Battabong  and 
Onger,  or  Nogor  Siam,  belonged  to  Siam  continually 
for  eighty-four  years  ago,  not  interrupted  by  Cambo- 
dian princes  or  Cochin  China.  The  fortifications  of 
those  places  were  constructed  by  Siamese  Government 
thirty-three  years  ago.  The  Cambodian  rulers  cannot 
claim  in  these  provinces,  as  they  have  ceded  to  Siamese 
authority  eighty-four  years  ago.’ 

Space  will  not  admit  an  exhaustive  account  of  my 
travels  and  experiences  in  Siam.  I must  leave  out 
much  that  might  interest  the  reader,  and  as  briefly  as 
possible  conclude  this  part  of  my  subject,  before  I pro- 
ceed to  Cambodia.  The  physical  characteristics  of  the 
Siamese  have  been  frequently  described ; I need  only 
say,  therefore,  that  they  resemble  the  Chinese  more 
closely  than  is  the  case  with  the  Malays,  and  on  the 
other  hand  there  is  something  so  purely  Indian  in 
their  appearance  as  to  forbid  our  classing  them  with 
the  Mongolian  or  Tartar  races.  They  are  indeed 
Indo-Chinese,  and  their  institutions,  political  or  re- 
ligious, their  manners  and  their  customs,  partake  of 


THE  MAGISTERIAL  MARKET. 


IOI 


the  same  mixed  character.  The  state  ceremonials 
are  of  ancient  Brahminical  origin,  while  in  their  mode 
of  governing,  and  in  their  code  of  laws,  they  have 
borrowed  much  from  China  in  former  days.  As  in 
the  Celestial  Empire,  many  of  the  magistrates  of  Siam 
receive  but  a nominal  salary  (or  practically,  no  salary 
at  all),  and  they  undisguisedly  make  up  for  the  lack  of 
revenues  by  a not  unrecognised  system  of  corruption, 
a handsome  bribe  being  found  to  be  a powerful  witness 
in  favour  of  a client  in  the  court  where  his  case  is  tried. 

Polygamy,  too,  flourishes  among  the  Siamese  with 
greater  vigour  even  than  in  the  Flowery  Land. 
Opium  is  a luxury  in  both  countries,  and  gambling 
among  each  nation  is  a ruling  vice.  I remember 
visiting  a magistrate’s  court  in  Bangkok,  where  a case 
of  some  importance  was  under  investigation,  and  I 
noticed  the  same  agencies  at  work  there  as  in  China, 
only  that  in  the  latter  country  the  system  of  corruption 
is  managed,  by  subordinates  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
with  a degree  of  subtle  polish  and  refinement,  which 
almost  persuades  the  grave  and  sober  judge  himself 
to  believe  in  his  own  absolute  integrity,  though 
he  knows  full  well  that  a little  gold  dropped  mysteri- 
ously into  the  scales  will  make  the  balance  of  justice 
kick  the  beam  on  one  side  or  the  other.  But  it  was 
not  so  in  Siam.  There,  in  an  open  court,  we  found 
the  fat  judge,  a single  silken  cloth  around  his  loins — his 
only  judicial  robe — seated  at  a small  window,  with  one 
flabby  leg  hanging  over  in  the  sunshine ; a slave  girl 
fanning  him,  his  mouth  filled  with  betel-nut,  and 
thus  snorting  out  his  enquiries  from  time  to  time.  The 
prisoners  were  shut  up  in  a sort  of  cattle-pen  in  front, 
while  their  friends  and  supporters,  laden  with  gifts  of 


102 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


fruits,  cakes,  or  other  produce,  crawled  through  the 
court  in  a continuous  procession,  and  presented  their 
offerings  for  inspection  as  they  passed  the  judge’s 
chair.  The  latter — when  some  fat  side  of  pork,  or  other 
similar  delicacy,  won  his  special  approval — would  squirt 
out  a mouthful  of  saliva,  grunting  and  pointing  with 
his  nose  or  chin  to  some  ever-watchful  slave,  who  thus 
understood  that  the  tit-bit  referred  to  was  to  be  re- 
tained for  his  master’s  table.  The  train  of  tribute- 
bearers  thus  passed  on  through  a gateway  into  the 
magistrate’s  house,  and  thence  to  deposit  their  burdens 
upon  the  stalls  of  a small  market  kept  by  the  family  of 
this  impartial  ornament  of  the  judicial  bench.  With 
these  influences  at  work,  we  may  be  sure  that  a 
prisoner,  if  his  friends  were  numerous  and  liberal,  had 
little  or  nothing  to  fear.  But,  in  justice  to  the  govern- 
ment and  the  late  King,  I must  add,  grave  offenders 
were  not  allowed  to  escape  unpunished.  I shall  never 
forget  the  scene  I witnessed  inside  a Bankok  prison. 
The  public  executioner  lived  close  by,  so  we  paid  him 
a visit  before  we  entered  the  jail.  He  was  a hideous- 
looking  fellow,  but  proudly  conscious  of  his  brawny 
chest  and  sinewy  arm,  that  with  one  fell  swoop  of  the 
sword  had  closed  many  a luckless  criminal’s  career. 
He  readily  produced  his  fatal  weapon,  bright  with 
recent  polishing,  passed  his  fingers  lightly,  nay,  almost 
lovingly  along  its  sharp-edged  blade,  grinned,  and 
disappeared.  I meanwhile  watched  his  retreating 
figure,  and  then  took  a long  breath.  I thought  the 
fellow  eyed  me  professionally ; he  certainly  looked  at 
my  neck,  which  was  thicker  than  the  average  of  those 
with  which  he  had  commonly  to  deal.  In  one  part  oi 
the  prison  grounds  men  heavily  ironed,  and  covered, 


A BANGKOK  PRISON.  103 

one  or  two  of  them,  with  old  sores,  were  making  bricks 
in  a mud  pool.  Some  had  been  in  chains  for  years, 
and  their  condition  reminded  me  of  pictures  of  the 
Buddhist  hells  which  I had  seen  on  the  walls  of  their 
temples.  The  air  was  filled  with  the  wails  of  distress 
and  the  clank  of  fetters.  Seated  on  a bench  there  was 
a condemned  woman,  who  had  been  implicated  in  a 
murder.  She  seemed  to  be  treated  with  mercy,  and 
even  indulgence,  as  she  wore  no  chains  but  those  which 
bound  her  to  a pretty  little  child  that  lay  smiling  and 
crowing  in  her  lap,  and  struggling  to  bring  back  the 
sunshine  to  its  mother’s  worn  and  haggard  brow.  It  was 
afterwards  reported  that  she  had  been  reprieved,  partly 
for  the  sake  of  the  child  ; and  I can  readily  believe  the 
rumour,  as  the  King  had  a passionate  affection  for  his 
own  children,  and  devout  Buddhist  potentates  deem 
it  a merit  rather  to  save  life  than  to  take  it  away. 

The  Siamese  are  great  gamblers ; they  amuse 
themselves  also  with  cock-fighting  and  betting,  not 
perhaps  so  unrestrainedly  as  the  Malays,  for  the 
Buddhist  laws  forbid  the  wanton  destruction  of  life  ; 
but  they  sink  at  times  to  depths  much  lower  than  this, 
and  I have  been  present  in  a gambling-house  in 
Bangkok  and  seen  an  unfortunate  player  gamble  his 
family  one  by  one  into  slavery.  A great  variety  of 
games  of  chance  are  known  in  Siam,  for  the  most  part 
imported  from  China.  Among  them  are  dice,  cards, 
and  dominoes.  Sometimes  we  meet  men  playing  the 
simple  game  of  odd  or  even  ; at  other  seasons  they  will 
bet  upon  the  number  of  pips  in  an  unopened  durian  or 
other  kind  of  fruit ; and  there  is,  besides  these  amuse- 
ments, the  ever-recurring  lottery,  an  institution  purely 
Chinese.  In  Bangkok  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  native 


104 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


population  pass  their  lives  in  their  boats,  or  else  in 
houses  which  float  on  the  surface  of  the  river.  These 
floating  houses  are  built  upon  platforms  of  bamboo,  for 
the  hard  durable  stems  of  this  useful  plant  grow  to 
great  dimensions  in  that  country,  and  offer  special 
advantages  in  the  construction  of  a raft.  Thus  the 
long  hollow  stem  is  divided  naturally  into  a certain 
number  of  water-tight  compartments,  separated  from 
each  other  by  solid  diaphragms  of  wood.  The 
bamboo,  too,  will  remain  for  a great  length  of  time 
under  water  without  deteriorating ; and  even  should 
the  stem  by  chance  spring  a leak  in  any  one  of  its 
compartments,  this  still  will  not  affect  the  buoyancy  of 
the  rest.  It  may  have  been  from  that  fact  alone  that 
the  Chinese  derived  the  idea  of  building  their  boats  in 
water-tight  compartments.  The  bamboos  of  the 
foundation  or  raft  are  piled  up  one  above  the  other, 
in  longitudinal  and  transverse  layers  ; these  are  then 
lashed  together  with  ratan,  and  when  sufficient  buoy- 
ancy has  been  obtained  to  float  the  dwelling  above, 
the  platform  is  launched  and  moored  in  the  stream. 
The  raft,  when  moored,  is  fastened  at  each  of  the  four 
corners  to  a strong  pile  which  has  been  driven  into  the 
river  bed  for  that  purpose.  The  fastening  consists  of 
a loop  of  stout  ratan  rope,  which  will  move  or  ‘travel’ 
freely  up  and  down  the  pile,  and  thus  the  abode  will 
rise  or  sink  with  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tide.  When 
the  raft  has  been  got  into  position,  the  house  is  then 
erected  above  its  surface,  and  may  be  constructed  of 
teak-wood  or  bamboo,  according  to  the  taste  or 
means  of  its  proprietor.  Not  uncommonly  the  eaves, 
the  windows,  the  panels,  and  the  balustrading,  are 
carved  and  varnished ; often  they  are  painted  and 


FLOATING  HOUSES. 


I05 

gilt,  so  that  they  form  highly  picturesque  objects  on 
the  water.  As  to  the  interior  apartments,  these  are 
so  comfortable  and  well  arranged  as  to  furnish  a 
cool  and  suitable  dwelling  even  to  the  most  fastidious 
tastes.  From  a sanitary  point  of  view  these  ‘river 
dwellings’  offer  many  advantages.  Thus  they  do 
away  with  the  need  of  a borough  engineer,  and  the 
complicated  systems  of  subterranean  drainage  which 
burden  the  rate-payers  in  Europe.  The  Siamese,  too, 
are  much  addicted  to  bathing,  and  like  to  have  their 
water  close  at  hand.  These  floating  houses  are  gene- 
rally moored  close  together  in  compact  lines,  and  are 
difficult  to  deal  with  in  case  of  fire — a calamity  happily 
of  rare  occurrence.  Not  many  years  ago  one  of  the 
houses  in  a long  row  having  caught  fire,  the  neigh- 
bours immediately  cut  it  adrift,  and  let  it  go  blazing 
down  the  stream.  It  was  not  long  before  it  fouled  a 
barque  at  her  anchorage,  and  the  latter  was  soon 
in  flames  and  burnt  to  the  water’s  edge.  Floating 
houses  are  rather  in  the  way  of  unskilful  pilots,  es- 
pecially at  points  where  the  river  narrows,  and  if  the 
current  is  strong.  I remember  once  lifting  a part  of 
the  roof  off  one  of  these  abodes  with  the  bowsprit  of  a 
steamer.  Two  merchants,  an  engineer,  and  myself, 
having  had  a steam-launch  placed  at  our  disposal, 
determined  to  visit  the  ancient  capital  of  Ayuthia.  We 
armed  ourselves  with  a chart  of  the  river,  and  took 
turn  about  at  the  helm,  leaving  the  engines  to  the 
charge  of  our  professional  friend. 

Things  went  on  pretty  smoothly  during  the  first 
day,  until  at  night  we  reached  a district  where  the 
country  was  flooded,  and  it  was  difficult  to  keep  to  the 
main  channel  of  the  stream.  About  eight  o’clock. 

9 


io6 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


when,  of  course,  it  was  already  dark,  I found  we  were 
steering  bow  on  for  a green  mount,  which  loomed  up 
in  the  distance.  By  reversing  the  engines  and  altering 
the  course  we  just  cleared  the  obstacle,  but  having 
rounded  and  taken  bearings,  we  discovered  to  our  dis- 
may that  we  were  in  the  centre  of  a paddy  (rice)  field. 
Here  we  halted  till  daylight,  and,  enabled  to  regain  the 
bed  of  the  channel,  soon  after  arrived  in  safety  at  our 
destination.  Having  examined  the  Kraal  and  the 
Sala  or  ‘ Grand  Stand,’  whither  the  King  repairs  pe- 
riodically to  see  the  wild  elephants  driven  in,  and 
the  most  promising  specimens  secured,  we  took  our 
way  to  the  Royal  Elephant  Stables,  where  about  a 
dozen  of  these  huge  animals  are  usually  to  be  seen. 
Near  to  the  river  a splendid  buffalo  cow  was  feed- 
ing tethered  to  a stake,  and  with  a calf  at  her  heels ; 
she  looked  up  fixedly  and  steadily  at  the  white  faces 
of  our  party  ; so  steadily,  that  I determined  to  photo- 
graph her.  But  the  sight  of  the  camera,  and  the 
mysterious  dark  tent,  disgusted  the  brute  more  than 
ever,  and  she  began  to  assume  a disagreeably  threat- 
ening look.  ‘ Now,’  I said,  ‘ let  one  of  you  open  out 
your  umbrella  suddenly,  just  as  I am  about  to  photo- 
graph, and  we  shall  have  an  attitude  of  surpassing 
grandeur.’  One  of  my  friends,  therefore,  cautiously 
approached  her  and  fired  off  his  umbrella.  This 
was  too  much  for  the  buffalo,  and,  with  a wild  toss 
of  her  head,  she  broke  the  rope,  and  I just  got  a 
glimpse  of  her  in  full  career,  as  she  charged  in  the 
direction  of  her  aggressors.  The  next  moment  I 
found  that  the  owner  of  the  umbrella  had  tumbled 
into  an  elephant  midden,  and  though  in  a disagreeable 
position,  was  safe  from  harm.  As  for  my  China  boy, 


PHOTOGRAPHING  A BUFFALO. 


107 


he  had  consigned  himself  to  the  river,  and  only  con- 
sented to  crawl  out  of  his  place  of  refuge  on  being  in- 
formed that*  a huge  alligator  was  at  his  heels.  We 
started  for  home  shortly  after,  and  came  down  beauti- 
fully with  the  flood,  but  the  steering  required  constant 
attention ; and,  finally,  at  a most  unfortunate  conjunc- 
ture, when  we  were  just  entering  the  city  of  Bangkok, 
we  lost  all  command  of  the  helm  ; the  steamer  would 
not  steer ; first  she  stuck  her  nose  into  the  reeds  on 
the  bank,  then  she  turned  round  with  the  flood,  came 
out  again  into  mid-channel,  and  at  last  crossed  to  the 
opposite  shore,  and  carried  the  roof  away  from  the 
floating  house  aforesaid.  When  we  had  leisure  to  look 
for  the  cause  of  this  strange  behaviour,  we  found  that 
the  steering-chain  had  got  displaced.  Things  were 
put  to  rights  at  last,  and  we  reached  the  jetty  without 
further  disaster. 

Siam  has  greatly  changed  since  the  time  of  my 
visit  to  that  country.  The  first  and  second  Kings 
have  both  been  gathered  to  their  fathers,  and  their 
sons  now  reign  in  their  stead.  Antiquated  laws  and 
objectionable  customs  have  passed  out  of  date,  and  a 
liberal  policy  is  being  steadily  pursued.  Slavery  has 
been  abolished,  and  the  custom  of  crouching  in  the 
presence  of  a superior  has  been  discontinued  by  the 
express  order  of  the  Sovereign.  His  majesty  lately 
visited  Singapore  and  Calcutta,  and  the  experiences 
which  he  gained  there  seem  to  have  been  taken  to 
heart.  The  education  which  this  young  King  received 
from  the  English  Governess,  Mrs.  Leonowens,  at  his 
father’s  court,  must  have  had  its  effect  in  forming  his 
character,  while  constant  intercourse  with  foreigners, 
together  with  his  own  manly  ambition  to  make  the  most 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


108 

of  his  inheritance,  have  all  contributed  to  render  his 
career  an  exceptional  one  in  the  history  of  his  country. 
One  might  almost  suppose  that  he  has  in  his  veins 
some  of  the  blood  of  those  ancient  Cambodian  rulers 
who  built  their  marvellous  cities  and  temples,  who  con- 
quered and  subdued  the  surrounding  countries,  and 
founded  for  themselves  a mighty  empire,  of  which  no 
traces  save  their  stone  monuments  remain.  The  in- 
fluence of  a newspaper,  published  partly  in  English 
and  partly  in  the  vernacular,  must  not  be  overlooked 
when  we  take  account  of  the  progress  of  Siam. 

The  late  Dr.  Bradley  kept  this  newspaper,  the 
‘ Bangkok  Recorder,’  afloat  for  many  years,  some- 
times under  difficulties  which  would  have  effectually 
swamped  the  undertaking  in  the  hands  of  anyone  less 
devoted  and  zealous  than  he.  I had  the  pleasure  of 
joining  the  venerable  doctor  in  a trip  to  Petchiburee,  a 
southern  province  of  Siam.  At  the  start  we  passed 
first  through  the  Bangkok-yai  canal  of  ‘ Great 
Bangkok,’  and  then  turning  to  the  left  we  travelled 
along  the  Klong-Bang-luang,  or  * Creek  of  the  King’s 
Hamlet.’  The  people  on  the  banks  of  these  creeks 
dwelt  either  in  floating  houses  or  in  cottages  built  on 
piles,  so  that  they  overhung  the  stream.  And  thus, 
from  the  window  of  our  boat,  we  enjoyed  a series  of 
views  of  humble  city  life.  Yonder  we  could  see  a 
Siamese  shopkeeper  lazily  smoking  his  cigarette,  while 
his  wives  assorted  and  sold  his  wares,  or  else  tended  a 
troop  of  naked  children  that  never  seem  to  tumble  into 
the  water,  although  they  are  reared  and  dwell  within 
a foot  of  it  all  their  days.  Women  were  to  be 
observed  on  the  verandahs  of  nearly  every  house,  loll- 
ing about,  nursing  children,  smoking,  or  asleep.  Few 


BANGKOK  CANALS. 


109 

of  them  could  pretend  to  any  beauty,  but  all  for  the 
most  part  were  as  lightly  clad  as  Siamese  decency 
would  permit;  for,  with  the  exception  of  a silken  langouti 
wrapped  round  the  loins,  tucked  up  between  the  legs,  and 
fastened  in  the  waist  behind,  they  sought  for  no  other 
adornment  than  their  own  bright  olive  skins ; and  yet 
these  women  are  both  modest  and  chaste.  In  other 
verandahs  were  groups  displaying  their  fair  proportions, 
and  indulging  their  passion  for  gambling.  At  length 
we  came  upon  the  pretty  floating  harem  of  a noble.  The 
cut  represents  two  of  his  Lakon,  or  dancing-girls,  wearing 
the  masks  and  costumes  in  which  they  appear  on  festive 
occasions.  The  facade  of  this  house  was  elaborately 
carved,  painted,  and  varnished  ; an  ornamental  wood 
rail  swept  round  the  broad  platform  in  front,  and  we 
could  there  see  a number  of  female  slaves  and  concu- 
bines crouching  before  their  master,  who  had  but  just 
arrived,  and  was  listening  to  the  musicians  on  his 
barge.  The  leader  of  these  native  musicians  was 
performing  a jubilant  Siamese  air  on  the  ‘whong 
kong,’  a circle  of  musical  bells,  supported  by  the  * cluae  ’ 
(flageolet),  and  the  Laos  reed  organ,  on  which  the  per- 
formers kept  up  a running  accompaniment,  inter- 
mingled with  the  woody  tones  of  the  bamboo  har- 
monican  or  ‘ Ranat.’  The  combined  effects  of  these 
instruments,  when  softened  by  distance,  was  very 
pleasing  at  times.  But  there  appears  to  be  nothing  of 
a soul-stirring  nature  in  the  Siamese  music  ; it  is  too 
vague.  One  hears  a few  notes,  and  fancies  them  the 
prelude  to  some  sweet  soothing  measure.  The  illusion 
lasts  but  for  a moment ; the  effect  is  cut  short  by  a 
tumult  of  sounds,  and  the  sweet  fragment  of  melody 
flies  off  the  instruments  like  a nightingale  startled  by 


no 


IND  0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


down  to  the  water’s  edge,  and  laughed  and  joked  as 
they  bathed,  as  if  they  were  the  happiest  of  mortals. 

It  requires  a careful  study  of  the  tidal  influences 
upon  the  network  of  creeks  of  this  region  to  make  a 
quick  trip  to  Petchiburee.  Thus  we  quitted  Bangkok 


DANCING  GIRLS. 


the  howling  of  a menagerie  let  loose.  We  passed  a 
number  of  rice-mills  on  the  banks  of  the  creeks,  where 
enslaved  debtors  were  working  out  their  redemption.  A 
number  of  these  unfortunates  had  dragged  their  chains 


THE  SIAMESE  TWINS. 


1 1 1 


about  an  hour  before  the  tide  had  ceased  to  flow,  and 
carried  it  with  us  as  far  as  Banban,  from  which  place 
the  ebb  of  the  current  swept  us  twenty-five  miles  on- 
ward down  the  Tacheen  river  and  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Ma  Klong.  At  Ma  Klong  village  we  had  to  wait 
twelve  hours.  This  was  the  birthplace  of  the  Siamese 
twins,  but  the  people  there  seemed  to  have  forgotten 
their  existence.  At  the  local  temples  we  found  a “ lusus 
naturae  ” in  the  shape  of  a biped  pig,  which  was  fed  and 
tended  by  the  priests.  Besides  the  pig,  there  were  two 
pitiable  idiots  at  large  in  the  temple  grounds,  and  a 
herd  of  starving  pariah  dogs.  It  is  contrary  to  the 
Buddhist  creed  to  take  away  life ; hence  many  of  their 
temples  become  places  of  refuge  for  troops  of  famished 
dogs,  who  remain  there  till  they  die.  For  though  the 
priests  give  them  what  food  they  can  spare,  there  is 
never  enough  for  them  all.  These  dogs,  then,  are 
usually  animated  skeletons,  their  skins  destitute  of 
hair,  and  covered  with  many  sores.  I tossed  them  a 
little  food  ; it  gave  rise  to  the  most  savage  fight  I ever 
witnessed.  One  or  two  wretched  curs  limped  away 
from  the  strife  torn  and  lacerated,  probably  to  lay 
down  and  die.  This  canine  community — fierce,  hungry, 
and  diseased — must  surely  be  one  of  those  many 
Buddhist  hells  where  sinners  expiate  their  crimes. 
The  animals  are  deemed  to  be  animated  by  the  spirits 
of  the  departed,  and  are  undergoing  a lifetime  of 
torture.  The  priests,  if  they  are  good  men , look  on  at 
their  misery  with  pious  complacency,  and  probably 
take  the  lesson  to  heart,  lest  they  too  in  the  next  stage 
of  their  existence  should  be  condemned  to  howl  for 
offal  or  garbage  to  satisfy  the  hungry  fangs  and  sore- 
eaten  frame  of  starving  pariah  dogs.  The  male  idiot 


112 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


whom  we  encountered  here  was  constantly  beating  his 
head  and  muttering,  ‘ The  trouble  is  here — is  here ; 
beat  a little  more  and  it  will  be  out.’  He  had  been 
beating  thus  for  years,  until  the  palm  of  his  hand  and 
a patch  on  his  forehead  had  become  as  hard  as  horn. 
The  female  manifested  what  to  the  Siamese  mind 
seemed  a very  aggravated  sort  of  madness ; she  was 
simply  striving,  with  the  few  rags  which  did  not  cover 
her,  to  hide  her  nakedness  from  the  public  gaze.  Not 
long  after  we  left  Ma  Klong  we  noticed  a certain 
conical  hill,  which  appeared  to  be  taking  a morning 
walk  round  and  round  our  position — an  extraordinary 
fact  in  geology,  only  to  be  accounted  for  by  the  wind- 
ings of  the  stream. 

Petchiburee  is  one  of  the  finest  and  most  productive 
provinces  in  Siam.  The  chief  town,  unlike  Bangkok, 
was  mainly  built  on  land,  and  in  some  parts  bore  quite 
an  English  look.  Thus,  there  were  rows  of  well-built 
brick  cottages,  and  a stone  bridge  across  the  river, 
broad  enough  and  strong  enough  to  sustain  the  traffic 
even  of  a metropolitan  thoroughfare.  The  builder  of 
this  new  town  was  a very  clever  young  noble,  who  had 
visited  England  with  the  Siamese  embassy,  and  who, 
at  the  time  of  my  visit,  was  the  deputy-governor  of 
Petchiburee.  It  was  he,  too,  who  designed  and  erected 
the  king’s  new  summer  palace,  after  the  model  of 
Windsor,  on  the  top  of  an  igneous  mountain  which 
rises  boldly  above  the  plains  about  two  miles  beyond 
the  town.  To  build  this  palace  was  no  easy  task,  for 
the  road  to  the  summit  of  the  hill,  and  the  foundations 
for  the  edifice  itself,  had  all  to  be  cut  out  of  porous 
volcanic  rock,  nearly  as  hard  as  flint.  A line  of  rail 
was  laid  along  the  plain  for  the  transport  of  stone  and 


PETCHIBUREE  PALACE. 


ii3 


timber  to  the  mount,  and  an  iron  aqueduct  had  also 
been  constructed  to  supply  the  palace  from  the  river. 
At  the  palace  end  of  the  aqueduct  a bath  has  been 
constructed  for  the  special  use  of  the  King,  the  water 
flowing  into  it  from  the  mouth  of  a serpent.  There  is 
also  a sala  or  grand  stand,  whence  his  majesty  may 
witness  wrestling-matches,  foot-  and  cattle-races,  or  the 
other  out-door  amusements  of  the  country.  From  the 
palace  on  ‘ Khow  Phra  Nakon  Kiree’  we  obtained  an 
unbroken  view  for  at  least  twenty  miles  across  a plain 
as  level  as  a billiard-board,  and  presenting  an  almost 
continuous  expanse  of  pale  green  fields  of  rice.  These 
fields  are  banked  off  into  squares  for  the  purpose  of 
irrigation,  and  fringed  in  many  places  by  tall  Palmyra 
palms.  As  for  the  rice-plants,  they  were  partially 
covered  with  the  still  pools  of  water  that  lay  between 
the  rectangular  ridges  which  divided  field  from  field. 
Far  away  on  the  verge  of  the  horizon  we  could  descry 
a dense  forest  of  dark  sugar-palms,  and  about  two  miles 
to  the  north  of  us  stood  Khow  Sang,  a volcanic  hill, 
hollowed  with  magnificent  grottoes,  which  the  natives 
at  great  cost  had  converted  into  Buddhist  shrines. 
The  avenue  leading  to  the  principal  grotto  is  shaded 
by  kamboga-trees,  whose  many  flowers  shed  a de- 
lightful fragrance,  and  are  employed  by  the  devout  as 
offerings,  which  they  reverently  deposit  on  the  palms 
of  Buddha’s  hands.  At  the  mouth  of  this  grotto  stand 
natural  pillars  30  feet  in  height,  and  we  found  the 
dimensions  of  the  great  cave  to  be  180  feet  east  and 
west,  and  140  feet  north  and  south. 

The  floor  has  been  paved,  and  the  whole  interior 
adapted  to  the  purposes  of  a magnificent  temple,  the 
light  being  admitted  through  an  old  volcanic  vent  in 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


114 

the  apex  of  the  roof  above.  From  the  ceiling  depended 
a number  of  huge  pure  white  stalactites,  while  the 
crevices  and  cells  in  the  rock  were  filled  with  images 
and  votive  offerings.  Part  of  the  area  is  occupied  by 
large  golden  statues  of  Buddha.  I descended,  against 
the  advice  of  the  local  priests,  into  a rent  which  dipped 
down  through  the  rock,  but  I had  to  return  quickly, 
half  suffocated  by  strong  sulphurous  fumes. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Petchiburee  are  a number  of 
pretty  Laos  villages,  the  abiding  places  of  four  or  five 
thousand  captives  who  have  been  planted  there  in 
former  times.  The  Laos  bondsmen  are  permitted  to 
grow  their  rice  on  crown  lands  free  of  impost,  but  are 
taxed  immoderately  in  other  ways.  Thus,  at  times 
they  are  compelled  to  give  six  months  unpaid  labour 
to  the  government.  It  was  the  Laos  slaves  of  Petchi- 
buree who  built  the  palace  for  the  King,  and  they  had 
to  find  their  own  maintenance  during  the  whole  of  that 
employment.  But  they  are  a frugal  and  industrious 
folk,  simple  and  honest  in  their  ways  ; and  although 
this  burden  must  have  pressed  heavily  upon  them  at 
the  time,  they  soon  recovered  from  its  effects.  The 
building  is  so  well  put  together  as  almost  to  make  one 
imagine  that  these  Laos  slaves  have  inherited  some- 

o 

thing  of  the  skill  of  the  ancient  Cambodian  craftsmen. 
There  can  be,  I think, -little  doubt  that  they  are  in 
many  respects  a superior  race  to  the  Siamese ; they 
are  taller  and  handsomer.  They  weave  fine  cloth,  and 
wear  more  of  it  to  cover  them,  as  only  the  feet  are  left 
bare.  They  are  more  painstaking  and  successful 
cultivators  of  the  soil ; their  musical  instruments  are 
ingeniously  constructed,  and  their  native  airs  are  full 
of  tenderness  and  pathos.  I never  spent  a more 


A LAOS  VILLAGE. 


”5 


pleasant  day  than  when  paying  a visit  to  one  of  the 
Laos  villages.  One  always  feels  a certain  degree  of 
sympathy  with  captives  in  a strange  land. 

Mr.  McFarlane  and  myself  set  out  on  horseback. 
The  Prapalat  had  kindly  furnished  us  with  royal 
steeds.  I had  also  six  men  bearing  my  photographic 
instruments. 

The  road  was  in  parts  flooded,  but  every  available 
foot  of  ground  around  was  taken  up  with  rice.  On 
either  side  were  thick  hedges  of  the  sweet-smelling 
gum-arabic  tree,  or  of  the  ‘ Mai  Phi  ’ or  wood-bamboo, 
a plant  studded  with  formidable  prickles,  and  which 
forms,  owing  to  its  great  strength,  an  impenetrable 
barrier. 

The  bridges  over  the  creeks  were  formed  by  single 
bamboo  stems,  so  rather  than  risk  our  limbs  upon  them 
we  made  the  best  of  our  way  through  the  water,  and  at 
length  reached  the  Laos  village,  where  I was  favourably 
impressed  with  the  fine  appearance  of  the  people.  The 
men  were  larger  and  more  muscular  than  the  Siamese, 
while  the  poorest  among  them  were  completely  clothed 
in  dark  blue  cotton,  closely  resembling  the  dress  worn 
by  the  labourers  in  some  parts  of  China,  and  made  up 
of  a loose  jacket,  and  trousers  falling  to  two  or  three 
inches  below  the  knees.  The  women,  some  of  them, 
were  of  fair  complexion  and  exceedingly  pretty,  having 
their  long  dark  tresses  coiled  up  so  as  to  form  an 
ample  and  picturesque  covering  for  the  head.  Their 
costume  consisted  either  of  an  embroidered  jacket  or 
long  strips  of  cloth  covering  the  bust,  and  a petticoat  of 
striped  red,  yellow,  and  blue  (primary  colours),  manu- 
factured by  themselves,  and  peculiar  to  the  Laotian 
tribes. 


jt6  INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

The  houses  of  the  village  were  raised  five  or  six 
feet  above  the  ground  on  strong  posts,  and  built  of 
wood  and  bamboo ; the  roofs  were  tent-shaped,  and 
thatched  with  long  dried  grass.  With  the  exception 
of  a few  articles  of  Chinese  manufacture,  everything 
about  the  village,  and  for  domestic  use,  was  of  native 
make.  Viewed  from  a distance,  the  settlement,  hidden 
among  palms  and  fruit-trees,  rose  from  the  wide  ex- 
panse of  level  plain  like  a green  island  in  the  sea. 
Everywhere  around,  the  fields  were  cultivated  with 
rice  ; and  the  same  evidence  of  ceaseless  industry  was 
carried  to  the  very  threshold  of  the  dwellings,  where 
each  household  had  its  well-tilled  kitchen  garden,  and 
plot  of  tobacco,  and  cotton.  The  latter  they  dye  with 
native  vegetable  and  mineral  substances,  and  weave  on 
their  own  looms  into  fabrics  for  family  use. 

There  were  huge  bamboo  baskets  for  holding 
produce,  and  small  baskets  of  straw,  utensils  made  of 
varnished  wood,  harrows,  ploughs,  and  various  other 
implements  used  in  husbandry.  The  Laos  of  Petchi- 
buree  and  their  surroundings  bore  a stronger  resem- 
blance to  the  Pepohoan  of  Formosa  than  to  any 
other  race  I have  encountered  during  my  travels. 
The  Laotian  is  the  higher  type  of  the  two,  as  the 
Pepohoan  is  solely  occupied  in  cultivating  the  soil. 
The  villages  of  both  races  are  characterised  by  the 
same  peaceful  surroundings,  while  the  inhabitants  of 
these  primitive  settlements  are  remarkable  for  their 
simple  honesty,  and  for  the  absence  of  crime  among 
them.  In  the  Formosa  Pepohoan  villages  I do  not 
remember  ever  having  seen  either  a prison  or  a 
pauper.  The  rapid  inroads  which  the  Chinese  are 
making  on  that  beautiful  island  will  soon  furnish  both, 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  VILLAGES.  117 

as  their  trade  and  ancient  civilisation  will  disturb  the 
social  equality  which  only  recognises  the  rank  conferred 
by  grey  hairs  and  wisdom.  Craft  and  duplicity  will 
ere  long  invade  their  humble  abodes  that  nestle  in 
fertile  valleys,  watered  by  clear  mountain  springs,  and 
shaded  by  primeval  forests. 


1x8 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  V. 

An  Expedition  to  Cambodia — Bang  Phra-kong  Creek — Prairie  on  fire — 
A Foreign  Sailor — Wild  River  Scenery — Aquatic  Birds — Kabin— Kut’s 
Story  to  the  Chief — A Storm  in  the  Forest — The  Cambodian  Ruins — 
Their  Magnitude — Siamrap — Nakhon  Wat — Its  Symbolism — The  Bas- 
reliefs  and  Inscriptions — The  Hydra-headed  Snake — The  Ancient 
Capital,  Penompinh — The  King  of  Cambodia — Dinner  at  the  Palace — 
The  whole  Hog — Overland  to  Kamput — Pirates — Mahomet’s  Story — 
The  Fossil  Ship — The  Voyage  up  the  Gulf  of  Siam. 

I had  already  been  in  Siam  several  months  before  I 
could  carry  out  the  project  which  had  originally  taken  me 
to  that  country.  My  plan  was  to  cross  overland  into 
Cambodia,  and  there  photograph  the  ruined  temples  and 
examine  the  antiquities  which  have  been  left  behind 
by  the  monarchs  of  a once  powerful  empire.  Mn  H. 
G.  Kennedy,  of  H.B.M.’s  consular  service,  consented 
to  accompany  me  on  this  expedition,  and  we  got  away 
together  on  January  27,  1866.  We  had  first  intended 
to  sail  down  the  Gulf  of  Siam  to  Chantaboon,  and 
thence  to  cross  over  the  forest-clad  mountains  of  that 
province  to  Battabong.  But  the  Siamese  Government 
declined  to  grant  a passport  for  that  route,  which  they 
reported  as  dangerous  and  impracticable.  We  were 
therefore  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  making  a tedious, 
and,  so  far  as  health  was  concerned,  more  dangerous 
journey  by  the  creeks  and  rivers,  and  across  the  hot 
plains  and  marshes  of  the  south-eastern  provinces  of 
the  interior. 


SANSEP. 


119 

We  started  in  a long  boat  manned  by  eight  stalwart 
Siamese,  with  Mohammed  Ali,  a Malay,  a Siamese 
named  Kut,  and  two  Chinese  men-servants,  Ahong 
and  Akum.  Our  way  lay  along  the  Klong  Sansep,  a 
creek  cut  some  fifty  years  ago,  and  which  penetrates 
from  the  left  bank  of  the  river  Menam  nearly  due 
east,  till  it  emerges,  after  a course  of  fifty  miles,  in  the 
river  Bang  Phra-kong.  This  creek,  at  Wat  ‘Tam 
Phra,’  about  ten  miles  from  Bangkok,  was  only  three 
or  four  feet  in  depth,  and  its  banks  were  choked  in 
many  places  with  high  prairie  grass,  through  which  we 
had  to  force  a passage.  It  was  harvest  time,  and  the 
vast  plains  of  Sansep  district  were  covered  with  a 
golden  crop  of  rice.  Here  and  there  we  could# descry 
groups  of  reapers  among  the  grain,  or  isolated  slaves 
stationed  as  scarecrows  about  the  fields. 

At  Wat  Sansep,  a small  temple  where  we  halted  for 
dinner,  the  festivities  of  our  evening  meal  were  enhanced 
by  the  howling  accompaniment  of  some  dozen  famished 
pariahs.  The  kindly  curs  barked  for  our  entertain- 
ment with  a skill  and  assiduity  that  did  them  infinite 
credit,  willingly  repeating  the  choice  passages  at  the 
barest  hint  for  an  encore.  Jolly  dogs  these  ; and  yet,  as 
I have  already  stated,  the  canine  tribes  who  flee  from 
worldly  sorrows  to  consecrate  their  voices  to  the  ex- 
clusive service  of  the  Buddhist  faith,  are  generally 
miserable  skeletons,  veritable  ascetics  indeed  ; and  it  is 
difficult  to  make  out  why  so  many  dogs,  endowed  as 
they  are  with  singular  sagacity,  should  drift  into  these 
temples,  unless  indeed  they  love  the  seclusion  and 
liberty  of  these  monastic  retreats,  where  they  may  die 
of  starvation,  or,  maddened  by  hunger,  devour  each 
other.  Here  we  fell  in  with  an  American  sailor.  Ali 


120 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


was  the  first  to  see  him.  He  said  ‘ Ah  ! Orang  puti 
de  blakang  poke,  ada’  (‘  There  is  a white  man  behind 
the  trees  ’). 

He  had  deserted  from  his  ship  for  the  purpose,  he 
said,  of  going  to  Saigon  hospital  overland,  to  have  a 
broken  arm  reset.  F or  several  days  he  had  been  wander- 
ing about  the  country,  meeting  with  some  kindness  from 
the  natives,  but  suffering  fearfully  from  the  bites  of 
moschettos  and  other  insects.  When  we  met  him  he 
was  literally  one  mass  of  sores,  and  his  broken  arm  was 
much  swollen  and  inflamed.  After  doingf  what  we 
could  to  relieve  his  immediate  wants,  Mr.  Kennedy 
called  upon  the  nearest  native  official,  who  promised 
that  tli£  fugitive  should  be  sent  back  to  Bangkok.  It 
appeared  that  some  judicious  friend  had  advised  him 
to  walk  over  to  Saigon,  some  four  hundred  miles  away, 
without  food,  without  a passport,  and  without  a cent 
in  his  purse. 

We  spent  our  first  night  in  the  creek,  to  the  joy 
of  the  moschettos,  which  attacked  us  in  myriads,  and 
effectually  banished  repose.  We  tried  to  sleep  at  a Wat 
(temple),  but  it  was  no  good  ; and  then  the  boatmen, 
who  were  nearly  as  badly  off  themselves,  volunteered 
to  pull  all  night,  in  order  to  get  clear  of  the  marshy 
haunts  where  these  vile  insects  abound,  and  to  reap 
the  benefit  of  a little  breeze  by  keeping  the  boat  con- 
stantly in  motion.  All  night  long  the  buzzing  of  our 
invisible  foes  sounded  like  the  discordant  notes  of  an 
orchestra  as  it  sets  its  stringed  instruments  in  tune. 
Moschetto-nets  were  useless,  and  wrapping  one’s  head 
in  a blanket  only  drove  them  to  sing  on,  and  sting 
on,  until  they  dropped  off  bloated  and  intoxicated  with 
blood.  Next  morning  our  hands  and  faces  were 


BANG  PHRA-KONG  RIVER. 


121 


swollen,  painful,  and  distorted  ; but  we  had  now  reached 
a wider  part  of  the  creek,  and  were  free  from  further 
persecution.  The  plain  hereabouts  was  covered  with 
grass  which  stood  ten  feet  high.  Some  of  this  had 
caught  fire,  and  was  blazing  with  great  fury  when  we 
passed.  The  flames  were  swept  before  the  wind, 
roaring,  crackling,  and  sending  up  a dense  column  of 
smoke  in  their  wake,  followed  by  vultures  ready  to 
pounce  down  upon  the  hapless  victims  of  the  devour- 
ing fire.  We  landed,  and  had  some  sport;  but  it 
was  arduous,  unprofitable  work.  Ali  fell  into  a mud 
pool  up  to  the  neck,  Avhile  my  friend  and  I had  to 
wade  through  marshes  covered  with  water,  and  were 
obliged  to  undress  and  pick  the  leeches  off  our  bodies 
when  we  returned  to  our  boat.  But  it  was  quite  by 
accident,  and  after  some  short  interval  of  time,  that  we 
discovered  the  presence  of  the  leeches.  They  fasten 
silently  and  without  pain  upon  the  flesh,  where  they 
at  length  produce  a disagreeable  itching  sensation, 
which  leads  to  their  detection. 

The  Kabin  branch  of  the  Bang  Phra-kong  river 
formed  one  of  the  most  attractive  parts  of  our  route.  No 
more  romantically  beautiful  little  stream  is  anywhere  to 
be  found  in  the  world.  When  we  passed  into  its 
placid  waters,  we  seemed  to  have  entered  a region  un- 
known to  man,  and  inhabited  only  by  the  lower  orders 
of  creation.  Monkeys  walked  leisurely  beside  the 
banks,  or  followed  us  with  merry  chattering  along  the 
overhanging  boughs,  while  tall  wading  birds  with 
tufted  heads,  snow-white  plumage,  and  rose-tipped 
wings,  paused,  in  the  business  of  peering  for  fish,  to 
gaze  with  grave  dignity  upon  the  unfamiliar  intruders. 
Some  were  so  near  that  we  could  have  struck  them 


122 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


down  with  our  oars,  but  to  avoid  this  outrage  they 
marched  with  a calm  stately  stride  into  the  thickets  of 
the  adjoining  jungle. 

The  first  report  of  our  rifles  wrought  a change  in 
the  scene.  The  forest  rang  with  voices  of  alarm ; the 
monkeys  gibbered  and  scrambled  out  of  sight,  the  tall 
storks  rose  slowly  upon  their  giant  wings  and  soared 
away  in  their  flight  till  they  looked  like  a curved  line 
of  light  against  the  blue  face  of  the  sky.  We  made 
an  attempt  to  preserve  the  skins  of  a number  of  rare 
aquatic  birds,  including  one  or  two  varieties  of  the 
kingfisher,  which  are  to  be  found  in  great  abundance 
in  this  part  of  Siam.  Unfortunately  our  arsenical  soap, 
and  the  facilities  for  drying,  were  insufficient  for  the 
purpose.  Coming  suddenly  upon  a wide  reach  in  the 
river,  we  found  its  surface  whitened  with  a fishing 
party  of  pelicans.  Some,  with  pouches  well  stocked, 
lolled  lazily  along ; others  skimmed  the  surface,  ele- 
vating their  bills  from  time  to  time,  and  indicating  by 
the  glittering  of  their  finny  prey  that  the  flock  had 
chosen  happy  hunting-grounds,  and  were  busily  en- 
grossed with  their  enterprise.  Two  fell  victims  to  our 
rifles  ; one  of  them  escaped  ; the  other  was  of  such 
colossal  proportions  that  it  took  two  men  to  haul  him 
into  the  boat.  Our  Chinaman,  with  the  masterly  assist- 
ance of  Kut,  who  had  a keen  appreciation  of  the  deli- 
cacies of  the  table,  produced  a savoury  breakfast  of 
soup  and  pelican-steak.  Ahong  was  heard  to  remark 
just  before  falling  asleep  for  a forenoon  nap,  ‘ Ah  yah  ! ’ 
The  fat  of  this  king  of  birds  is  delicious.  It  recalls  to 
my  mind  the  pleasures  of  a pork  dinner.  Anyone  unac- 
quainted with  the  lower  orders  of  the  Chinese  can  form 
but  little  notion  of  the  bliss  implied  in  the  above  briet 


PR  AC  HIM. 


12  3 


sentence.  To  be  overcome  by  a full  meal  of  pork, 
and  to  sleep  off  the  effects  of  the  repast,  comes  very 
near  filling  the  cup  of  Chinese  happiness  to  the  brim. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th  the  maximum  tem- 
perature in  the  shade  was  910  Fahrenheit,  but  at  6 p.m. 
it  had  fallen  to  68°,  while  strangely  enough  the  water 
of  the  river  showed  a temperature  of  85°.  We  passed 
a place  called  Bang-Sang,  where  a royal  palace  had 
been  erected  for  the  reception  of  a sacred  white  ele- 
phant, which  died,  it  was  reported,  of  a champagne 
dinner,  on  its  progress  to  the  capital.  The  untimely 
end  of  this  brute  was  esteemed  a national  calamity, 
and  was  a cause  of  deep  mourning  to  all  devout 
Siamese  Buddhists. 

On  the  same  evening  we  passed  a Chinese  trading- 
boat,  bound  with  a cargo  of  rosewood  to  Paknam.  At 
Prachim  we  presented  ourselves  before  the  Prapalat  or 
deputy-governor,  and  handed  in  our  credentials.  The 
old  gentleman  examined  the  King’s  letter  with  great 
reverence  ; his  chief  clerk,  meanwhile — a powerful- 
looking  functionary,  well  up  in  years — devoting  his 
whole  attention  to  a bottle  of  ‘ eau-de-vie,’  which  he 
would  have  finished  on  the  spot,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  timely  precautions  of  Ali. 

The  river  had  cut  a deep  channel  through  this  part 
of  the  country,  and  the  exposed  strata  on  the  banks 
showed  that  the  plain  was  made  up  of  a series  of  thin 
argillaceous  and  sandy  deposits,  resting  upon  a sub- 
stratum in  which  I noticed  marine  shells.  During  our 
journey  across  the  country,  I found  constantly  recur- 
ring evidence  that  the  plains  of  Siam  had  gradually 
emerged  from  the  bed  of  ocean.  The  thin  alternating 
upper  strata  were  accounted  for  by  the  annual  floods 


124 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


which  still  inundate  the  land,  depositing  the  alluvium 
upon  which  the  rice  crops  depend. 

At  a small  Wat  at  Lan-yang-we,  we  noticed  a 
venerable  priest  engaged  in  shaving  his  head  and  face 
without  either  mirror  or  soap,  and  wonderfully  he 
managed  it  too.  About  a mile  from  Ban-hat-yai-kow 
we  came  upon  a Laos  settlement,  where  the  women 
were  weaving  silk  and  cotton  fabrics  ; the  latter  of 
fine  quality  and  long  staple,  and  the  former  of  the 
coarse  yellow  sort  peculiar  to  Cambodia  and  the  Laos 
States. 

They  evidently  took  us  for  Yaks  (wood  spirits)  or 
Teveda  (angels),  as  they  had  never  seen  white  men 
before.  Angels  of  the  Siamese  mythology  are  quite 
different  from  anything  we  picture  them.  They  are 
more  like  satyrs ; some  have  the  tails  of  apes  and 
claws  of  birds. 

On  the  31st  of  the  month  we  reached  Paknam 
Kabin,  or  the  port  of  Kabin,  the  only  place  which  we 
had  as  yet  encountered  of  any  commercial  pretensions. 
Here,  as  might  be  expected,  we  found  the  pioneers  of 
trade  in  the  shape  of  Chinamen  from  Bangkok.  There 
is  great  competition  among  these  sons  of  Han,  who 
carry  on  their  transactions  by  barter,  waylaying  the 
elephant  trains  from  Battabong  and  the  far  interior, 
and  exchanging  salt  and  Chinese  and  European  wares 
for  horns,  hides,  silk,  dammar,  oil,  cardamums,  and  other 
products. 

At  the  town  of  Kabin  there  were  no  elephants  to 
be  had,  so  we  were  forced  to  content  ourselves  with 
ponies  and  buffalo-carts  for  the  overland  journey  be- 
fore us.  Here  it  was  that  we  gained  our  first  experi- 
ence of  vexatious  delay.  We  ourselves  reached  our 


A LATE  BREAKFAST. 


I25 


halting-place  by  9 a.m.,  but  we  had  then  to  await  the 
arrival  of  our  men  and  baggage,  who  turned  up  at 
last  in  the  afternoon  at  about  4 o’clock,  and  discovered, 
when  they  arrived,  that  they  had  left  the  cooking- 
utensils  in  the  boat,  and  we  had  not  yet  had  break- 
fast ! 

Hiring  a pony,  I started  at  once  for  Paknam,  which 
lay  about  six  miles  off.  But  the  journey  was  an  arduous 
one,  as  my  steed  had  no  saddle,  and  only  a bit  of  cord 
by  way  of  bridle.  The  animal  took  its  own  way,  and 
that,  unfortunately  for  my  clothes  and  skin,  lay  through 
the  thickest  of  the  prickly  jungle.  At  last,  just  after 
dark,  I met  another  of  our  carts,  and  returned  with  it 
to  Kabin  ; but  there  were  still  neither  cooking-pots 
nor  lamps.  We,  however,  found  a teapot  and  tin  of 
salmon,  and  these  supplies  furnished  us  with  breakfast, 
dinner,  and  supper,  all  in  one.  We  called  on  the 
governor  of  Kabin,  and  presented  him  with  a cadeau  of 
European  wares;  among  other  things,  we  gave  him  a 
micro-photograph  in  a small  ivory  telescope,  and  a 
bottle  of  perfume.  Kut,  whenever  he  made  official 
visits,  put  on  an  old  suit  of  his  wife’s  uniform  (she  was 
an  officer  of  the  King’s  amazon  guard).  We  after- 
wards discovered  also  that  he  dealt  largely  in  fiction, 
and  had  informed  the  Prapalat  that  the  photograph 
(one  of  Her  Majesty  the  Queen)  had  been  sent 
specially  as  a mark  of  royal  favour  to  this  renowned 
chief ; and  as  to  the  perfume,  it  was  the  breath  of  a 
thousand  beautiful  English  women  put  up  in  a bottle, 
and  reserved  exclusively  to  reward  all  governors  who 
rule  well  and  wisely.  The  Prapalat  only  remarked, 

‘ he  could  never  have  supposed  it,  as  the  breath  of  his 
own  women  was  so  very  different.’  He  smelt,  and 


126 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


wondered  as  he  smelt,  what  manner  of  women  those 
could  be  who  breathed  such  sweet  fragrance  forth. 
He  thought  it  strange,  too,  that  our  country  should  be 
ruled  over  by  a woman;  and  I have  no  doubt,  from 
the  questions  he  asked,  the  notion  crossed  his  mind 
that  we  had  come  to  Siam  to  pay  tribute,  and  that  we 
probably  wanted  the  King  to  take  our  State  under  his 
protection.  The  people  of  his  town,  city,  or  village, 
were  not  remarkable  for  honesty.  We  slept  in  a sala, 
or  open  bamboo  shed,  erected  on  a clearing  in  the 
forest.  This  sala  was  raised  about  six  feet  above 
ground,  and  there  were  cracks  between  the  boards 
which  formed  the  flooring,  large  enough  for  us  to 
insert  our  feet  through  if  necessary,  which  was  a very 
convenient  arrangement.  One  morning  early  I was 
about  to  put  on  my  nether  garments,  when  I saw  them 
depart  mysteriously  through  one  of  these  openings  in 
the  floor.  This  was  ungenerous  in  the  trousers,  for  I 
had  been  on  friendly  terms  with  them  for  some  time 
previously.  I have  reason  to  suspect  that  some  villain 
persuaded  them  to  desert  me — at  least,  a dark  shadow 
flitted  soon  after  across  the  clearing  into  the  forest. 
Anyhow,  my  garment  left  me,  and  I never  saw  it 
more.  As  for  the  natives,  they  put  an  absurd  story 
afloat  that  the  trousers  had  been  stolen,  but  they  did 
not  go  the  length  of  suggesting  a human  thief.  They 
concurred  in  saying  that  it  must  have  been  9.  spirit  or 
a tiger,  and  no  doubt  great  weight  ought  to  be  at- 
tached to  their  opinion. 

I set  out  again  in  a bullock-cart  for  Paknam,  where 
I discharged  the  boatmen,  while  Kennedy  made  ar- 
rangements for  our  overland  journey.  The  boat’s 
crew  behaved  well  the  whole  way,  and  two  or  three  of 


STARTING  FOR  CAMBODIA. 


127 


them,  as  we  parted,  carried  me  on  their  shoulders  back 
to  the  cart. 

In  the  evening  we  enjoyed  an  entertainment  at 
the  governor’s  house,  where  a band  of  Laos  musicians 
exhibited  their  skill,  and  a Laos  girl  sung  a plaintive 
pleasing  air  to  the  accompaniment  of  a reed  organ,  and 
a soft-toned  flute. 

About  this  time  our  two  Chinamen,  finding  that 
pork  was  a rare  luxury,  their  meals  rather  irregular, 
and  their  work  rough,  while  the  danger  of  being 
devoured  by  tigers  was  daily  increasing  as  we  pene- 
trated further  into  the  interior,  thought  that  a little 
insubordination  might  not  be  wholly  thrown  away. 
By  threats  and  coaxing,  however,  we  calmed  them  for 
a time,  and  prevailed  on  them  to  proceed  with  us  on 
our  journey. 

At  last,  one  evening,  towards  5 o’clock,  with  two 
wretched  buffalo-carts  and  a pair  of  ponies,  we  set  out 
for  Cambodia.  1 had  also  engaged  two  extra  carriers 
specially  for  taking  charge  of  my  chronometer,  sextant, 
and  other  instruments.  Our  way,  at  first,  lay  through 
a stunted  forest ; but  it  was  not  long  before  we  reached 
a shrine  on  a small  clearing,  and  halted  for  the  night. 
At  3 on  the  following  morning  we  again  set  out, 
ourselves  in  advance,  and  our  baggage-waggons  fol- 
lowing slowly  in  the  rear.  We  had  not  proceeded  far 
before  the  forest  was  wrapped  in  deep  gloom,  and  a 
thunder-storm  burst  upon  our  party.  The  rain  was 
still  falling  in  a deluge,  when  one  of  the  buffaloes  took 
sudden  fright  and  upset  our  cart,  our  Chinamen,  and 
our  stores.  Alarmed  at  the  crash  and  uproar,  we  rode 
quickly  back,  gathered  our  men  and  provisions  out  of 
the  mud  and  water  as  well  as  the  darkness  would 


128 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


permit,  and  then  pushed  on  again  till  8 o’clock. 
By  this  time  the  rain  had  abated  ; but  Ahong  dis- 
covered, when  we  halted,  that  he  had  lost  his  box  and 
all  his  cherished  possessions.  The  box  was  recovered, 
but  its  contents  had  gone.  Ahong  and  Akum  next 
tried  to  make  their  escape,  and  at  all  hazards  return  to 
Bangkok  ; but  we  intercepted  them,  and  again  per- 
suaded them  to  carry  out  their  agreement.  We  had 
little  reason  to  complain  of  them  afterwards,  as  to  our 
surprise  they  faced  the  remaining  difficulties  of  the 
journey  with  a pluck  and  manliness  of  which  we  had 
thought  them  destitute. 

Camping  at  night  beneath  forest-trees,  or  on  the 
open  arid  plains ; halting  at  short  intervals  to  repair 
our  carts  with  the  materials  which  the  jungle  afforded 
(for  there  was  not  a single  nail  in  these  vehicles),  or  to 
exchange  them  for  others  at  the  various  settlements  on 
the  route  ; we  thus  spent  over  a month  in  lumbering 
across  the  country,  and,  as  may  be  imagined,  had  to 
endure  some  hardships  from  want  of  proper  food,  the 
bulk  of  our  supplies  having  been  lost  or  damaged  in 
the  storm  when  we  quitted  Kabin.  At  ‘ Ban-Ong-ta 
Krong’  I had  a sharp  attack  of  jungle  fever,  which 
left  me  so  utterly  prostrate  that  I had  to  hire  a small 
bullock-cart  to  take  me  on.  Kennedy,  with  regular 
doses  of  quinine  and  kind  nursing,  effected  a rapid  cure, 
but  I could  not  take  to  my  feet  for  some  days.  Had 
we  succeeded  in  procuring  elephants  at  Kabin,  as  we 
were  led  to  expect,  the  whole  journey  might  have  been 
accomplished  in  half  the  time. 

It  was  our  custom,  when  camping  for  the  night,  to 
make  an  enclosure  with  the  carts,  and  branches  of 
trees,  placing  the  cattle  inside,  and  keeping  up  a fire  in 


A MIDNIGHT  VISITOR. 


129 


the  centre.  Wild  animals  were  sometimes  seen  near 
our  halting-places,  and  I brought  away  the  skin  of  a 
huge  leopard,  shot  close  to  a sala  where  we  slept. 

On  one  occasion  I remember  being  roused,  and  Ali, 
who  slept  beneath  my  cart,  cried  out  that  there  was  a 
tiger  prowling  round.  The  night  was  dark,  but  1 
could  make  out  a black  object  not  many  paces  from 
where  we  lay.  The  cattle  were  active  too,  and  snorted 
uneasily.  I raised  my  revolver,  and  would  have  fired, 
had  Ali  not  arrested  my  arm,  and  advised  me  not  to 
risk  a shot  in  the  dark,  as  had  I only  wounded  the 
brute  we  should  have  been  certain  of  a furious  attack. 
At  the  sound  of  human  voices  it  speedily  disappeared 
into  the  forest. 

From  Mrs.  Leonowen’s  account  of  her  expedition 
into  Cambodia,  I gather  that  she  must  have  travelled 
along  the  same  route  as  ourselves  ; but  I cannot  make 
out,  if  that  was  the  case,  how  her  elephants  could 
have  ‘ pressed  on  heavily,  but  almost  noiselessly,  over 
a parti-coloured  carpet  of  flowers.’  As  to  parti-coloured 
carpets,  the  convolvulus  and  other  flowers,  found  in 
these  regions,  are  of  remarkably  beautiful  kinds,  but  it 
is  on  account  of  their  extreme  rarity  that  they  are  most 
highly  prized.  For  my  own  part,  I should  have  ex- 
pected a longer  and  more  detailed  account  of  her 
journey  from  a lady  who  observes  so  accurately  and  de- 
scribes so  well.  Can  it  be  possible  that  it  was  she,  after 
all,  who  aided  in  compiling  M.  Mouhot’s  posthumous 
narrative,  where  some  of  the  passages  which  treat  ol 
the  Cambodian  ruins  read  like  extracts  from  Mrs. 
Leonowen’s  own  valuable  work.  For  example,  we  find, 
on  p.  305  of  ‘ The  English  Governess  at  the  Court 
of  Siam  ’ : — 


13° 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


‘ The  Wat  stands  like  a petrified  dream  of  some 
Michael  Angelo  [what  is  a petrified  dream  ?],  more 
impressive  in  its  loneliness,  more  elegant  and  animated 
in  its  grace,  than  aught  Greece  and  Rome  have  left  us.’ 

In  M.  Mouhot’s  work,  vol.  i.,  p.  279,  the  same 
Wat  is  thus  described  : — 

‘ One  of  these  temples — a rival  to  that  of  Solomon, 
and  erected  by  some  ancient  Michael  Angelo — might 
take  an  honourable  place  beside  our  most  beautiful 
buildings.  It  is  grander  than  anything  left  to  us  by 
Greece  or  Rome,’  &c. 

There  is  a slight  difference  between  the  two 
passages.  In  the  one  the  Wat  is  simply  pronounced 
the  work  of  some  great  master;  while  in  the  other  it 
resembles  an  animated,  petrified  dream,  whatever 
that  may  be.  But  other  ideas,  on  the  pages  quoted, 
will  be  found  expressed  in  nearly  identical  words, 
furnishing  an  example  of  one  of  those  strange  coin- 
cidences which  so  startle  us  occasionally  in  our  experi- 
ence of  life.  We  regret,  however,  to  discover  this 
authoress,  when  she  describes  the  Cambodian  ruins, 
falling  into  a number  of  grave  errors  which  might, 
some  of  them,  have  been  avoided  had  she.  studied  my 
photographs  more  carefully  when  she  did  me  the 
honour  of  selecting  them  to  illustrate  her  work. 

On  the  higher  waters  of  the  Sisuphon  river  we  fell  in 
with  the  first  trace  of  ancient  Cambodian  civilisation  in 
the  shape  of  a ruined  shrine,  which  had  been  built  of 
exquisitely  finished  grey  bricks,  like  blocks  of  freestone 
both  in  texture  and  appearance.  The  stream,  at  this 
point,  was  still  faced  with  a strong  stone  retaining  wall, 
and  a broad  flight  of  steps  gave  Us  access  to  a narrow 
path  terminating  in  an  elevated  mound  of  earth,  where 


Note. — This  Map  will  enable  the  reader  to  identify  various  countries  in  Indo-China  to  which  I have  referred,  by  their  Chinese  names,  while  at  the  same  time 
it  will  afford  a fair  example  of  Chinese  map-making,  and  also  of  Chinese  ignorance  of  the  absolute  accuracy  and  elaborate  details  which  constitute  geography, 
as  we  understand  it,  one  of  the  mos*.  important  of  modem  sciences. 


RUINS  ON  THE  SISUPHON  RIPER.  13 1 

giant  trees  now  grew.  Buried  beneath  this  overgrowth 
of  jungle  lay  the  foundations  of  an  ancient  edifice.  I 
took  the  bearings  of  the  mound  with  my  azimuth  ; and 
the  men,  when  they  saw  me  adjusting  my  instrument, 
concluded  that  I was  after  hidden  treasure,  and  set  to 
digging  until  they  reached  the  wall,  and  unearthed 
some  bricks.  In  the  centre  of  the  mound  there  was  a 
thick  brick  wall  built  above  arched  vaults,  while, 
beneath  a rude  shed  hard  by,  we  found  the  remains  of 
two  idols  finely  sculptured  in  stone.  These  idols  were 
life  size,  and  modelled  in  very  accurate  proportions. 
One,  a male  figure,  had  been  decapitated  ; and  we 
found  the  head  with  its  stony  diadem  still  lying  among 
the  rubbish  close  at  hand.  The  features  wore  a calm 
benignant  look,  reminding  one  of  the  Hindoo  type. 
The  second  figure,  a female,  was  in  much  better  pre- 
servation ; both  the  contour  of  its  bust,  and  the  expres- 
sion of  its  face,  showed  traces  of  an  accomplished 
sculptor’s  hand.  The  Chinese  annals  of  the  Sui 
dynasty  tell  us  that  the  then  Queen  of  Chinla  1 was 
married  to  a Hindoo,  and  that  it  was  he  who  taught 
the  people  Deva  worship.  There  were  no  inscriptions 
to  be  found  among  the  ruins  here ; but  it  is  just 
possible  that  these  images  may  have  been  the  statues 
of  that  Queen  and  King  who  reigned  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  seventh  century,  and  to  whom  the  his- 
torians of  China  allude. 

Fragments  of  sculptured  stone  everywhere  met 
the  eye,  and  impressed  us  with  the  conviction  that  the 
ancient  temple-building  race  of  Cambodia  had  reached  a 
high  pitch  of  civilisation.  There  was  nothing  rude, 
unfinished,  or  elementary  about  the  work.  The  simple 
1 See  Chinese  Map. 


I32 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


bricks  of  the  wall  had  been  carefully  and  honestly 
finished,  and  their  plain  even  surfaces  were  so  true  that 
when  placed  in  position  and  fixed  together  without 
mortar,  they  left  only  a delicate  line  to  mark  where  the 
joins  occurred. 

But  one  ought  to  be  careful  in  asserting  that 
square  honest  work,  and  good  material  betoken  a high 
pitch  of  civilisation,  lest  in  some  future  age  it  may  be  said 
of  ourselves  that  our  much-vaunted  progress  and  nine- 
teenth century  civilisation  were  but  empty  shadows  ; that 
our  domestic  architecture,  at  least,  was  designedly  de- 
ceptive and  dishonest ; that  our  greatest  ambition 
was  to  please  the  eye  with  spurious  imitations  of  sculp- 
tured marble  and  stone,  to  supply  tinsel  in  place  of 
gold,  paint  and  veneer  for  the  tough  fibre  of  the  solid 
oak.  But  what  shall  we  say  of  the  stone  cities  and  sculp- 
tured palaces  which  we  were  now  approaching — monu- 
ments of  human  labour  with  which  even  our  greatest 
modern  edifices  can  hardly  be  worthily  compared  ; of 
those  cities  where,  as  ancient  travellers  tell  us,1  there 
were  images  of  pure  gold  within  the  palaces,  and  look- 
ing down  from  above  the  city  gates.2  Another  Chinese 
historian  relates  that  the  people  of  Bonam,  or  Siam,  as 
early  as  the  third  or  fourth  century,  were  noted  for 
their  commerce,  their  honesty,  and  their  thrift.  All 
that  we  can  say  in  regard  to  their  buildings,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  any  historical  records  of  their  own,  is  that 
these  old  Cambodians  must  have  built  their  towns  and 
temples  by  the  taskwork  of  slaves,  or  by  cheap  labour 
of  some  sort.  And  yet,  as  I have  said,  there  is  a 

1 History  of  the  Tsin  Dynasty,  a.d.  265-419. 

2 It  is  stated,  in  the  History  of  the  Chinese  Sui  Dynasty,  that  a Chinese 
general  carried  off  from  the  capital  of  Limyip  (probably  Siamrap) 
eighteen  golden  images. 


THE  GEE  AT  LAKE. 


i33 


thoroughness  about  their  edifices,  and  a genuine  love 
of  art  evinced  in  all  their  sculptures — in  the  tender 
tracery  lavished  without  stint  upon  the  stones,  in  the 
uniform  grace  of  every  curving  stem,  in  each  delicately 
chiselled  lotus,  or  lily — such  as  never  could  have  come 
out  of  the  lash  of  the  slave,  out  of  ill-requited,  unwilling 
hands,  or  out  of  the  crushed  spirit  of  a bondsman.  We 
see  a love  of  art  in  every  line  of  ornament,  which 
speaks  of  the  enthusiasm  of  a master  sculptor  glorying 
in  his  workj  and  straining  every  effort  of  his  hand 
and  head  that  nothing  might  be  lacking  which  could 
confer  excellence  on  his  toil. 

But  I am  anticipating.  At  ‘ Dan  Simali,’  on  the 
Tasawi  river,  the  chief  of  the  district  would  have  had 
us  wait  until  he  could  find  a suitable  craft  to  convey 
us  across  the  lake.  But  as  we  observed  a boat  which 
would  suit  our  turn  at  his  very  door,  we  took  posses- 
sion of  it  at  once,  agreeing  as  usual,  to  pay  for  its  use. 

This  arrangement  was  concluded  much  too  sud- 
denly to  enable  the  chief  to  take  it  in.  He  would  have 
required  at  least  a week  to  think  over  it.  As  we  left 
in  the  vessel,  he  looked  good-naturedly  bewildered.  The 
notion  had  not  yet  dawned  upon  him  that  it  was  all 
right,  as  our  men  pulled  away  out  of  sight,  and  had. 
soon  crossed  the  head  of  the  Great  Lake  4 Tale  Sap,’ 
and  entered  the  Siamrap  stream,  whence  we  sent  on 
our  letters  under  Ali’s  charge  to  the  Chow-Muang,  or 
governor  of  the  province  where  the  chief  antiquities 
are  to  be  found.  The  great  freshwater  lake  of  Cam- 
bodia I shall  leave  for  the  present  undescribed  ; but  I 
may  here  mention  that  Battabong  and  Siamrap  are 
two  provinces  which  were  wrested  by  the  Siamese 
from  the  Cambodians  eighty-seven  years  ago.  Ali 


T34 


IN  DO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


returned  in  the  afternoon,  bringinga  favourable  account 
of  his  reception.  The  Governor  had  indeed  done  us 
the  honour  to  despatch  two  elephants  for  our  own 
riding,  and  five  buffalo  waggons  for  our  baggage. 
The  elephant  howdahs  were  dome-shaped,  of  a kind 
used  only  by  persons  of  a superior  rank.  My  friend 
had  had  experience  of  elephant  travelling  in  Korat, 
but  the  sensation  was  new  to  me.  The  colossal,  soft- 
eyed  brute  was  requested,  in  Siamese,  to  give  me  a 
lift.  Whereupon  he  bent  his  huge  right  fore-leg,  and 
then  looked  me  over  slowly  from  head  to  foot,  before 
venturing  to  hoist  me  on  to  his  back.  I placed  one  foot 
firmly  on  his  knee,  and  he  then  gently  raised  me  until 
I could  reach  his  neck,  keeping  me  steady  with  his 
trunk  until  I had  fairly  scrambled  into  the  howdah. 
This  business  finished,  he  then  marches  with  a steady 
step  onwards  to  his  destination,  knowing,  apparently, 
all  about  the  country.  On  he  goes  through  pools  and 
marshes,  but  keeping  an  eye  the  while  on  the  spread- 
ing branches  of  the  trees  above  ; for  somehow,  with 
a marvellous  exactness,  he  knows  the  howdah’s  height, 
and  if  a branch  would  barely  clear  it,  he  halts,  raises 
his  trunk,  and  wrenches  it  off  before  he  ventures  to 
proceed. 

When  he  comes  to  the  steep  bank  of  a stream,  he 
sits  and  slides  down  into  the  water,  and  if  hot  and 
teased  by  the  flies,  he  will  duck  howdah  and  all  be- 
neath the  cold  surface  as  he  swims  across.  He  charges 
his  trunk  with  water  whenever  an  opportunity  occurs, 
and  this  he  carries  along  with  him  to  quench  his  thirst 
or  to  squirt  over  his  body  and  drown  the  unsuspect- 
ing flies.  Thus  he  plods  on  in  perfect  safety  over 
obstacles  which  no  other  quadruped  could  surmount. 


ELEPHANT  TRAVELLING. 


135 


If  he  sees  afar  off  some  tempting  tree,  he  shapes  his 
course  for  it,  in  order  to  have  a passing  mouthful  of  its 
leaves.  For  all  that,  he  is  perfectly  docile,  and  seems 
by  his  implicit  obedience  to  understand  every  word 
his  keeper  utters.  His  attendant  sits  astride  his  neck, 
and  guides  him  gently,  when  needed,  with  an  iron- 
spiked  staff.  The  elevated  position,  the  straight 
course  one  shapes  through  forest  and  jungle,  and  the 
commanding  view  one  obtains  of  the  surrounding 
scenery,  have  at  first  a rare  charm  ; but  after  a time  we 
feel  that  it  would  be  a decided  relief  could  we  stay  the 
regular  gyration  of  the  head,  and  seek  another  axis  of 
motion  than  the  small  of  the  back.  So  we  form  some 
excuse,  and  descend  to  * terra  firma  ; ’ but  even  then 
the  motion  still  goes  on,  or  appears  to  go  on  at  any 
rate,  for  some  time. 

The  Chow  Muang  of  Nakhon  Siamrap  received  us 
with  great  courtesy,  placing  a house  at  our  disposal  for 
two  or  three  days,  until  a Laos  chief,  who  had  come 
with  a considerable  escort  on  a pilgrimage  to  Nakhon 
Wat,  should  have  started  on  his  homeward  journey, 
and  left  room  for  our  accommodation.  The  old  town 
of  Siamrap  is  in  a very  ruinous  state  — the  result, 
as  was  explained  to  us,  of  the  last  invasion  of  Cam- 
bodia— but  the  high  stone  walls  which  encircle  it  are 
still  in  excellent  condition.  Outside  these  fortifications 
a clear  stream  flows  downwards  into  the  great  lake 
some  fifteen  miles  away,  and  this  stream,  during  the 
rainy  season,  contains  a navigable  channel.  On  the 
third  morning  of  our  stay  we  mounted  our  ponies,  and 
passed  out  of  the  city  gates  on  the  road  for  Nakhon 
Wat,  and  the  ancient  capital  of  the  Cambodian  empire. 
One  hour’s  gentle  canter  through  a grand  old  forest 


136 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


brought  us  to  the  vicinity  of  the  temple,  and  here  we 
found  our  progress  materially  arrested  by  huge  blocks 
of  freestone,  which  were  now  half  buried  in  the  soil.  A 
few  minutes  more,  and  we  came  upon  a broad  flight  of 
stone  steps,  guarded  by  colossal  stone  lions,  one  of 
which  had  been  overthrown,  and  lay  among  the  ddbris. 
My  pony  cleared  this  obstacle,  and  then  with  a series 
of  scrambling  leaps  brought  me  to  the  long  cruciform 
terrace  which  is  carried  on  arches  across  the  moat. 
This  moat  is  a wide  one,  and  has  been  banked  with 
strong  retaining  walls  of  iron-conglomerate.  The  view 
from  the  stone  platform  far  surpassed  my  expectations. 
The  vast  proportions  of  the  temple  filled  me  with  a 
feeling  of  profound  awe,  such  as  I experienced  some 
vears  afterwards  when  sailing  beneath  the  shade  of 
the  gigantic  precipices  of  the  Upper  Yang-tsze. 

The  secret  of  my  emotion  lay  in  the  extreme  con- 
trast between  Nakhon  Wat — rising  with  all  the  power 
which  magnitude  of  proportions  can  give,  a sculptured 
giant  pyramid  amid  forests  and  jungle-clad  plains — and 
the  grass-thatched  huts,  the  rude  primitive  structures 
which  are  all  that  the  present  inhabitants  have  either 
wish  or  ability  to  set  up.  Nakhon  Wat,  like  the  ma- 
jority of  the  buildings  of  ‘ Inthapatapuri  ’and  the  other 
cities  of  Cambodia,  is  raised  upon  a stone  platform. 
It  is  carried  upward  from  its  base  in  three  quadrangular 
tiers,  with  a great  central  tower  above  all,  having  an 
elevation  of  180  feet.  The  outer  boundary  wall  en- 
closes a square  space  measuring  nearly  three-fourths  of 
a mile  each  way,  and  is  surrounded  by  a ditch  230  feet 
across.  This  ditch  is  spanned  on  the  west  by  the 
causeway  (already  described),  having  sculptured  flights 
of  stone  steps  leading  to  the  water.  These  were  pro- 


Fig.  i.  Plan  of  Inner  Temple  of  Nakhon,  from  a survey  by  the  anthor. 
Fig.  2.  Plan  of  area  enclosed  by  outer  wall,  Nakhon  Wat. 


NAKHON  llrAT. 


i37 


bably  intended  for  the  first  ablutions  of  the  worshippers 
at  this  Brahminical  or  Buddhist  shrine.  Facing  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  compass,  and  in  the  centre  of  each 
side  of  the  boundary  wall,  there  are  long  galleries  with 
arched  roofs  and  monolithic  pillars,  which  present  a 
striking  and  classical  appearance.  Entering  the  main 
gateway  through  the  western  boundary,  and  passing  up 
a broad  inner  causeway,  paved  like  the  outer  one  with 
blocks  of  polished  freestone,  we  approach  the  western 
front  of  the  temple  proper.  Ascending  to  a cruciform 
terrace  by  a flight  of  steps  sculptured  with  the  most 
beautiful  ornaments,  and  guarded  on  either  side  by 
colossal  stone  lions,  we  stand  before  the  principal  en- 
trance of  the  shrine.  The  facade  on  this  side  is  more 
than  six  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  is  walled  in,  in  the 
centre,  for  a distance  of  some  two  hundred  feet.  This 
walled  space  is  divided  into  compartments,  and  each 
compartment  is  lighted  with  windows.  In  every  window 
there  are  seven  ornamental  stone  bars,  uniform  in 
pattern  and  in  size  throughout.  The  floral  ornamenta- 
tion on  these  bars  appear  to  represent  the  sacred  lotus, 
and  the  flowers  are  as  carefully  repeated  as  if  they  had 
been  cast  from  a single  mould.  These  compartments 
recur  in  the  centre  of  all  the  galleries  ; the  remaining 
two-thirds  of  the  space  always  consisting  of  open 
colonnades,  the  back  walls  of  which  are  adorned  with 
the  bas-reliefs  which  form  one  of  the  chief  attractions 
of  Nakhon  Wat. 

The  building,  as  I have  already  observed,  rises  in 
three  terraces,  one  above  the  other,  and  it  is  out  of  the 
highest  of  the  three  that  the  great  central  tower  springs 
up  ; four  lower  or  inferior  towers  rise  around  it,  and 
the  whole  structure  is  probably  meant  to  symbolise 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


138 

Mount  Meru,  or  the  centre  of  the  Buddhist  universe. 
This  is  all  the  more  apparent  when  we  consider  that 
Meru  is  surrounded  by  seven  circles  of  rocks  ; 1 that 
there  are  seven  circles  on  the  central  tower ; that 
the  sacred  mount  is  supported  on  three  platforms  (cor- 
responding to  the  three  terraces)  one  platform  or  layer 
of  earth,  one  of  water,  and  one  of  wind  ; and  that  it 
rises  out  of  the  ocean.  This  part  of  the  symbolism  is 
indicated  by  the  temple  being  surrounded  with  a moat, 
and  indeed  during  the  rains,  when  the  plain  is  flooded, 
the  whole  stupenduous  structure  would  rise  (like  Meru 
from  the  ocean)  out  of  an  unbroken  sheet  of  water.2 

1 See  Dr.  Eitel’s  Sanscrit  Chinese  Dictionary,  Art.  Sumeru,  p.  136. 

2 The  accompanying  note  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Edkins  will  show  that 
in  some  of  the  Buddhist  monasteries  of  Peking  the  ordination  of  the 
priesthood  takes  place  on  a triple  terrace,  similar  to  the  triple  terrace  of 
Nakhon  Wat. 

Admission  to  the  Buddhist  Vows  on  the  Triple  Terrace. 

Buddhist  priests  are  received  into  the  monastic  community  of  that 
religion  in  great  numbers  at  the  monastery  called  Chiay  tae  sze,  near 
Peking.  This  beautifully  situated  monastery  commands  a fine  view  of 
the  Hwun  ho  and  the  Peking  plain. 

The  name  Chiay  tae  means  Vow  terrace.  The  Vow  terrace  is  in  a 
square  building  on  the  east  of  the  hall,  in  which  are  placed  the  principal 
images.  It  is  built  of  carved  stone,  and  is  triple.  The  disciple  ascends 
the  lower  terrace  at  the  back.  Going  round  it,  he  ascends  the  middle 
terrace,  and  after  going  round  it  in  the  same  way  he  ascends  the  upper. 
On  reaching  the  top,  after  three  times  making  the  circuit,  he  finds  him- 
self in  front  of  the  abbot  and  his  assessors.  The  abbot  sits  on  a throne 
which  faces  the  south,  and  the  assessors,  two  on  each  side,  face  the  east 
and  west.  The  ceremonies  for  the  reception  of  neophytes  are  here  carried 
through  to  their  completion. 

I expect  that  there  is  a Chiay  tae  in  every  large  monastery,  or  in  most 
of  them,  but  this  is  the  best-known  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  capital. 

At  small  monasteries  priests  are  admitted  with  less  formalities  than  in 
large  ones. 

The  first  terrace  is  for  Buddha,  the  second  for  the  written  law,  and 
the  third  for  the  monastic  community. 

The  neophyte  enters  into  a responsible  relation  to  all  three.  He 
leaves  the  sea  of  misery  where  he  was  without  a helper  and  attaches  him- 


AT /AO  K HR  A I- LA  T. 


!39 


In  many  of  the  ancient  temples  of  Java  we  find  the 
same  symbolic  architecture.  The  shrine  of  Kalisari,1  for 
example,  we  are  told,  is  an  oblong  square  divided  into 
three  floors,  and  there  are  many  others  of  exactly  the 
same  design.  On  the  ancient  Buddhist  temple  or 
monument  at  Bora  Bodo,  there  are,  1 believe,  seven 
terraces  (and  no  central  tower)  which  would  correspond 
with  the  seven  circles  of  Meru.  But  the  three  terraces 
of  Nakhon  Wat  may  have  another  significance ; they 
may  have  been  designed  originally  for  the  sacred  rites 
and  processions  still  practised  in  the  ceremonials  at  the 
royal  tonsure  festivals  of  Siam  ; for  example,  at  the 
coronation  of  a king  the  priests  march  thrice,  on  three 
separate  days,  round  the  sacred  ‘Khao  Khrai-lat,’  the 
Siamese  Buddhist  Mount  Meru.  It  is  difficult  to  say 
what  may  have  been  the  origin  of  the  sacredness  attached 
in  many  heathen  religions  to  the  number  three.  We 
have  them  in  the  Holy  Trinity  of  our  own  Christian 
faith — a doctrine  which  does  not  claim  a high  antiquity  ; 
in  the  supreme  principle  of  creation  ; in  the  Orphic  My- 
thology,2 Council,  Light,  Life;  in  On,  Isis,  and  Neith 
of  the  Egyptians  ; in  the  Magian  trinity  Mithras,  Oro- 
mazdes,  and  Ahriman;  the  Indian  triad  Brahma,  Vishnu, 
and  Seeva ; while  in  China  we  have  the  classic  doctrine  of 
the  powers  of  nature — Heaven,  Earth,  and  Man  ; and 
the  Buddhist  Past,  Present,  and  Future.  We  also  find 

self  to  Buddha,  who  occupies  the  position  of  a Redeemer.  He  escapes 
from  ignorance  into  the  knowledge  of  Buddhist  doctrine.  He  gives  up 
worldly  enjoyments  and  sms  in  order  to  enter  on  what  he  expects  to  find — 
the  pure  life  of  the  monks,  far  from  the  turmoil  of  city  crowds. 

It  is  to  symbolise  this  threefold  refuge  that  he  is  made  to  pass  along 
the  railed  pathway  round  three  terraces  rising  successively  in  height 
before  he  arrives  in  the  presence  of  the  venerable  robed  abbot  who 
admits  him  to  the  Buddhist  spiritual  life. 

1 Sir  S.  Raffles’  Java , ii.  25.  2 See  Hale’s  Chronology,  iv.  472. 


140 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


in  the  Temple  of  Heaven  at  Peking,  where  state  wor 
ship  is  performed,  an  altar  of  three  terraces,  on  which 
at  certain  times  of  the  year  three  sacrifices  are  offered. 
These  are  the  Ta-sze,1  or  great  sacrifice;  the  Choong- 
sze,  or  medium  sacrifice ; and  the  Seaon-sze,  or  lesser 
sacrifice.  The  symbolism  of  this  Chinese  temple  is  a 
subject  full  of  interest,  and  has  been  very  carefully 
examined  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Edkins.2 

To  return  to  Nakhon  Wat.  The  ancient  Chinese 
traveller  says  something  in  his  narrative  of  a tradition 
relating  to  the  worship  of  the  snake  in  early  times ; 3 
but  he,  at  the  same  time,  tells  us  that  Buddhism  was 
the  religion  which  then  prevailed  in  Cambodia.  It  is 
possible  that  this  great  building  has  been  erected  to 
the  snake  god  (and  this  was  the  view  taken  by  Prof. 
Ferguson  after  I had  placed  my  plan,  my  photographs 
and  the  information  I had  gathered,  at  the  disposal  of 
that  most  distinguished  authority  on  architecture) ; but 
after  visiting  China,  and  viewing  the  Hindoo  deities 
which  guard  the  gates  of  Buddhist  temples  there,  and 
the  mythological  objects -which  adorn  these  shrines, 
I have  been  led  to  believe  that  Nakhon  Wat  is  a 
Buddhist  edifice,  decorated  about  the  roofs  and  bal- 
conies with  effigies  of  the  seven-headed  snake,  who  is 
honoured  for  ever,  because  he  guarded  Gautama  when 
he  slept.  ‘ Nagas  (snakes)  appeared  at  his  birth  to 
wash  him  ; numbers  of  nagas  conversed  with  him  here 
and  there,  protected  him,  and  were  converted  by  him, 
and  after  the  cremation  of  his  body  an  eighth  portion 
of  the  relics  was  allotted  to  the  custody  of  nagas.’ 4 

1 Sir  J.  Davis,  The  Chinese , p.  ?.  10 

2 Journeys  in  North  China , Rev.  A.  Williamson,  ii.  353. 

3 ‘ Chinla  Tung-too-kc,’  by  Chow  Ta  Kwan. 

4 Sanscrit- Chinese  Dictionary,  Art.  Naga,  78,  Dr.  Eitel. 


ANCIENT  CAMBODIAN  CIVILISATION. 


141 


The  snake  plays  an  important  part  in  the  Buddhism 
of  China,  and  is  represented,  when  on  the  earth,  as 
man’s  great  enemy  ; and  again,  when  a river  god,  as 
his  great  protector.  It  would  appear,  then,  that  the 
snake  which  guards  the  temple  of  Nakhon  was  nothing 
more  than  the  natural  protector  of  Gautama  spoken  of 
in  the  ancient  Sutras. 

I cannot,  however,  do  justice  to  this  question  here ; 
I must  leave  it  in  the  hands  of  those  who  are  better 
able  to  sift  the  evidence  brought  forward  in  elucidation 
of  a deeply-interesting  subject. 

I believe  that  a richer  field  for  research  has  never 
been  laid  open  to  those  who  take  an  interest  in  the 
great  building  races  of  the  East  than  that  revealed  by 
the  discovery  of  the  magnificent  remains  which  the 
ancient  Cambodians  have  left  behind  them.  Their  stone 
cities  lie  buried  in  malarious  forests  and  jungles,  and 
though  many  of  them  have  been  examined,  not  a few 
are  still  wholly  unexplored  ; and  indeed  it  is  impossible 
for  anyone  who  has  not  visited  the  spot  to  form  a true 
estimate  of  the  wealth  and  resources  of  the  ancient 
Cambodians,  or  of  the  howling  wilderness  to  which 
their  country  has  been  reduced  by  the  ravages  of  war, 
the  destructive  encroachments  of  tropical  jungle,  and 
the  ignorance  and  sloth  of  its  present  semi-savage 
inhabitants.  The  disappearance  of  this  once  splendid 
civilisation,  and  the  relapse  of  the  people  into  a primi- 
tiveness bordering,  in  some  quarters,  on  the  condition 
of  the  lower  animals,  seems  to  prove  that  man  is  a 
retrogressive  as  well  as  a progressive  being,  and  that 
he  may  probably  relapse  into  the  simple  forms  of 
organic  life  from  which  he  is  supposed  by  some  to 
have  originally  sprung. 


142 


1ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


The  bas-reliefs  of  Nakhon  Wat  which  are  sculptured 
on  the  walls  of  the  galleries  are  extremely  interesting. 
They  are  contained  in  eight  compartments,  measuring 
each  from  250  feet  to  300  feet  in  length,  with  a height 


INTERIOR  OF  WESTERN  GALLERY,  NAKHON  WAT. 


of  6.1,  feet,  and  in  a square  space  of  6.\  feet  the  average 
number  of  men  and  animals  depicted  is  sixty.  The 
majority  of  these  representations  are  executed  with 
such  care  and  skill,  and  are  so  well  drawn,  as  to  indi- 


THE  RAMA  YANA. 


>43 


cate  that  art  was  fostered  and  reached  a high  state  of 
perfection  among  the  ‘ Khamen-te-buran,’  or  ancient 
Cambodians. 

The  chief  subjects  represented  are  battle-scenes, 
taken  from  the  epic  poems  Ramayana  and  Mahabarata 
(which  the  Siamese  are  said  to  have  received  from 
India  about  the  fourth  or  fifth  century).  Disciplined 
forces  are  depicted  marching  to  the  field,  possessing 
distinct  characteristics  soon  lost  in  the  confusion  of 
battle.  In  the  eager  faces  and  attitudes  of  the  warriors, 


CAMBODI.4N  FEMALE  HEAD-DRESS.  ANCIENT  SCULPTURE. 

as  they  press  forward  past  bands  of  musicians,  we  see 
that  music  then,  as  now,  had  its  spirit-stirring  influence. 
We  also  find  humane  actions  represented — a group 
bending  over  a wounded  comrade  to  extract  an  arrow, 
or  remove  him  from  the  field.  There  are  also  the 
most  animated  scenes  of  deeds  of  bravery — soldiers 
saving  the  lives  of  their  chiefs  ; chiefs  bending  over 
their  plunging  steeds,  and  measuring  their  prowess  in 
single  combat ; and  finally,  the  victorious  army  quitting 
the  field  laden  with  spoil,  and  guarding  the  numerous 
captives  with  cavalry  in  front  and  rear. 


144 


1ND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Perhaps  the  most  wonderful  subject  of  all  the  bas- 
reliefs  is  what  the  Siamese  call  the  battle  of  ‘ Rama- 
kean.’  This  is  one  of  the  leading  incidents  of  the 
Ramayana,  of  which  Coleman  says,  ‘ The  Grecians  had 
their  Homer  to  render  imperishable  the  fame  acquired 
by  their  glorious  combats  in  the  Trojan  war ; the 
Latins  had  Virgil  to  sing  the  prowess  of  .Tineas;  and 
the  Hindoos  have  their  Valmac  to  immortalise  the 
deeds  of  Rama  and  his  army  of  monkeys.’  The 
Ramayana  (one  of  the  finest  poems  extant)  describes 
the  incidents  of  Rama’s  life,  and  the  exploits  of  the 
contending  foes. 

In  the  sculptures  of  Nakhon  Wat  many  of  the 
incidents  of  the  life  of  Rama  are  depicted  ; such  as  his 
ultimate  triumph  over  the  god  Ravana,  and  the  re- 
covery of  his  wife  Sita.  The  chief  illustration  of  the 
poem,  however,  is  the  battle-scene  which  ensues  after 
the  ape-god  Hanuman  had  performed  several  of  the 
feats  which  formed  the  everyday  incidents  of  his  life, 
such  as  the  construction  of  what  is  now  known  as 
Adam’s  Bridge  at  Ceylon.  This  he  accomplished  by 
a judicious  selection  of  ten  mountains,  each  measuring 
64  miles  in  circumference  ; and  being  short  of  arms, 
but  never  of  expedients,  when  conveying  them  to 
Ceylon,  he  poised  one  on  the  tip  of  his  tail,  another  on 
his  head,  and  with  these  formed  his  celebrated  bridge 
over  which  his  army  of  apes  passed  to  Lanka. 

In  another  compartment  the  subject  appears  to  be 
the  second  avatar  of  Vishnu,  where  that  god  is  re- 
presented as  a tortoise  supporting  the  Earth,  which  is 
submerged  in  the  waters.  The  four-armed  Brahma  is 
seated  above.  A seven-headed  snake  is  shown  above 
the  water,  coiled  around  the  Earth,  and  extending  over 


j.va\  nohmvk  aariaa-sva  NViuoaKvo  xnjionv 


ANCIENT  CAMBODIAN  SCULPTURES. 


145 


the  entire  length  of  the  bas-relief.  The  gods  on  the 
right,  and  the  dinytas  on  the  left  are  seen  contending 
for  the  serpent.  Hanuman  is  pulling  at  the  tail,  while 
above  a flight  of  angels  are  bearing  a cable  to  bind 
the  reptile  after  the  conflict  is  over. 

The  example  given  in  the  woodcut  will  convey  an 
idea  of  the  accurate  nature  of  the  battle-scenes,  and  will 
also  enable  the  reader  to  judge  lor  himself  not  only 
regarding  the  art  which  they  display,  but  also  of  the 
constructive  mechanical  skill  which  the  Cambodians 
possessed,  and  which  enabled  them  to  build  their  war 
chariots  at  once  strong  enough  for  the  rough  usage  of 
war,  and  light  enough  to  secure  that  degree  of  speed 
upon  which  the  issue  of  a conflict  might  depend. 

Take,  for  example,  the  wheel  of  the  chariot.  It 
must  have  been  strong,  and  nothing  lighter  or  more 
elegant  could  be  constructed  at  the  present  day  among 
ourselves.  Part  of  it  at  least  must  have  been  made  ol 
metal,  and  had  we  no  further  proof,  the  inference  may 
hence  be  fairly  drawn  that  the  builders  were  skilled  in 
the  use  of  metals.  In  another  compartment  of  the  bas- 
reliefs  however,  we  find  mechanical  appliances  for  the 
torture  of  human  beings,  such  as  a double-handed  saw, 
or  knife,  a lever,  the  wedge,  pestle  and  mortar  ; and 
a number  of  other  contrivances,  which  must  have  been 
in  common  use  then,  and  are  still,  in  our  own  land. 

It  is  impossible  here,  in  the  space  of  a single 
chapter,  to  give  anything  like  a complete  account  of  the 
information  we  gathered  during  our  expedition  to 
Cambodia.  I may  say,  however,  before  I leave  this 
region,  that  the  ruins  are  found  to  spread  over  an  area 
very  much  larger  than  was  at  first  supposed,  which  has 
since  been  broken  up  into,  and  occupied  by  different  in- 


146 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


dependent  States  ; and  which,  judging  from  the  simi- 
larity of  the  ruined  buildings  found  in  Siam,  Laos,  and 
Annam,  and  the  identity  of  the  characters  with  which 
they  are  inscribed,  leaves  little  doubt  as  to  the  magni- 
tude of  the  empire  over  which  the  ancient  Cambodian 
dynasty  must  in  former  centuries  have  reigned.  Much 
may  yet  be  learned  as  to  the  true  history  of  the  race, 
when  the  inscriptions  found  carved  upon  the  ancient 
temples  shall  have  been  made  out.  I took  rubbings  of 
some  of  these,  but  my  efforts  to  obtain  translations  of 
them  have  hitherto  been  unsuccessful.  Mr.  Kennedy 
has,  however,  already  been  able  to  interpret  some  por- 
tions, and  perhaps  I cannot  do  better  than  quote  what 
he  says  concerning  them.  ‘ There  are,  at  any  rate,  three 
styles  of  writing  adopted ; I do  not  say  that  the  lan- 
guages differ,  I suspect  that  they  will  be  found  to  be 
in  all  cases  identical ; but  the  characters  are  funda- 
mentally the  same,  and  as  more  competent  men  than  I 
have  assured  me,  are  modifications  of  the  Devanagari 
alphabet.  In  reference  to  the  difficulties  to  be  en- 
countered in  translating,  he  says  : ‘ There  is  this  pecu- 
liarity to  be  noticed,  which  is  probably  one  of  the 
secrets  of  the  failure  hitherto  of  all  attempts  at  inter- 
pretation. These  men  of  monosyllabic  speech  cut 
down  their  long  Pali  or  Sanscrit  terms  to  the  shortest 
possible  dimensions.  Thus  Indra  becomes  In,  a 
disciple  of  a priest  (Samanera)  becomes  Nen,  and  the 
name  for  a camel  is  not  ushtra,  but  ut ; akshara 
(letters)  becomes  akson.  But  when  these  words  are 
written  down,  in  many  cases  their  derivation  is  shown 
by  a number  of  mute  terminals,  with  an  accent  super- 
scribed, denoting  that  that  portion  of  the  word  is  left 
without  articulation.  Now  when  we  examine  these  in- 


ANCIENT  CHINESE  ARCHWAY. 


147 


scriptions,  it  becomes  necessary  to  inquire  whether  the 
engraver  expended  the  time  and  labour  requisite  to 
write  down  the  unpronounced  part  of  the  word  which 
he  had  to  engrave,  or  would  he  simply  cut  the  letters 
of  the  shortened  form,  the  word  as  pronounced,  and 
not  the  word  as  written  ? ’ 1 If  this  be  indeed  the  case, 


ANCIENT  ARCH  AT  KEU-YUNG-KJVAN,  NANKOW  PASS. 


it  is  strange  and  interesting  to  find  inscribed  on  an  old 
arch  in  the  defile  of  the  Nankow  Pass,  on  the  road  to 
the  Great  Wall  of  China,  a Buddhist  prayer,  which  Mr. 
Wylie  tells  us  is  also  in  one  section,  at  least,  written  in 

1 See  paper  read  by  H.  G.  Kennedy,  Indian  Section  of  Society  of  Arts, 
May  i,  1874. 


148 


JNDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  ancient  Devanagari  characters,  and  bearing  the 
date  1345.  It  was  probably  somewhere  about  this 
date  that  the  temple  of  Nakhon  Wat  was  erected  ; and 
when  we  further  find  it  recorded  that  the  ancient 
Cambodians  were  in  the  habit  of  sending  ambassadors 
to  China  to  obtain  imperial  titles  for  their  religious 
edifices,  it  is  possible  that  Cambodian  sculptors  may 
have  been  employed  to  construct  this  memorial,  and 
more  especially  as  we  find  on  its  keystone  the  same 
seven-headed  snake  which  forms  a leading  ornament  of 
the  great  Cambodian  temple. 

At  any  rate  we  have  here  the  seven-headed  snake 
adorning  a purely  Buddhist  structure,  inscribed  with  a 
Buddhist  prayer,  engraved  in  a number  of  different 
languages.  The  bas-relief  representations  of  the 
Hindoo  gods  found  beneath  the  arch  are  the  finest 
examples  of  the  sculptor’s  art  I found  in  China,  and  re- 
sembled more  closely  the  work  of  an  ancient  Cam- 
bodian sculptor  than  of  a Chinese  artist. 

It  would  appear  *from  the  Chinese  annals  that  the 
Cambodians,  at  an  early  period,  were  an  exceedingly 
warlike  race,  and  that  they  annexed  many  surrounding 
kingdoms. 

Thus,  in  the  history  of  the  Sung  dynasty,  there  is  a 
reference  to  the  kingdom  of  Sanbotsi.  That  country 
is  there  described  as  conterminous  with  Cochin  China 
(Cheng  Cheng),  and  lying  between  Cambodia  (Chinla) 
and  Java!  It  is  further  represented  as  highly  civilised, 
owning  both  Hindoo  and  Chinese  institutions,  and 
making  use  of  Chinese  state  documents.  Lastly,  we 
are  told  that  the  education  of  the  country  was  con- 
ducted by  means  of  Pali  writing. 

In  the  year  a.d.  1003,  it  is  stated  that  the  reigning 


LAST  WORK  OF  THE  ANCIENT  CAMBODIANS.  149 


monarch  sent  an  embassy  to  inform  the  Emperor  of 
China  that  he  was  building  a Buddhist  temple,  in  the 
hope  that  so  meritorious  a work  might  add  something 
to  the  length  of  his  years.  The  edifice  referred  to 
might  have  been  Nakhon  Wat,  but  evidence  from 


UNFINISHED  PILLARS,  NAKHON  WAT. 


other  quarters  points  to  a later  date  for  its  construction. 
It  would  appear  to  have  been  built  after  the  visit  ot 
the  Chinese  traveller  of  the  thirteenth  century  (whose 
narrative  M.  Remusat  has  translated),  as  he  makes  no 
mention  of  it.  He  visited  Cambodia  in  1295,  but  the 


*5° 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


final  overthrow  of  the  empire  by  the  Siamese  did  not 
take  place  (according  to  M.  Garnier’s  account,  p.  139) 
until  1373,  when  the  still  unfinished  temple  was 
abandoned,  and  the  King  fled  to  Annam. 

Nakhon  Wat  itself  bears  evidence  that  during  the 
progress  of  its  construction  the  Cambodian  empire 
must  have  been  overthrown  by  some  crushing  disaster. 
At  any  rate  the  building  was  never  finished,  and  in  the 
interior  of  an  outer  pavilion  I found  some  pillars  which 
were  still  rough  hewn.  They  had  been  placed  in 
position,  it  is  true,  but  we  could  almost  point  out  the 
spot  at  which  the  sculptor’s  hand  had  been  arrested, 
leaving  his  task  for  ever  incomplete.  The  plan  followed 
had  been  to  fit  the  rough  monolithic  stones  into  their 
places,  and  then  to  cover  them  with  sculpture — a system 
adopted  now-a-days  by  our  own  builders  when  ela- 
borate ornaments  have  to  be  carved. 

But  I must  quit  a subject  over  which  I fain  would 
linger,  and  hurry  forward  on  my  journey.  We  spent 
several  days  at  the  ruined  city  of  Nakhon,  on  the  verge 
of  the  native  jungle,  and  amidst  a forest  of  magnificent 
trees.  Here  we  were  surrounded  on  every  side  by 
ruins  as  multitudinous  as  they  were  gigantic ; one 
building  alone  covered  an  area  of  vast  extent,  and  was 
crowned  with  fifty-one  stone  towers.  Each  tower  was 
sculptured  to  represent  a four-faced  Buddha,  or  Brahma, 
and  thus  204  colossal  sphinx-like  countenances  gazed 
benignly  towards  the  cardinal  points — all  full  of  that 
expression  of  purity  and  repose  which  Buddhists  so 
love  to  pourtray,  and  all  wearing  diadems  of  the  most 
chaste  design  above  their  unruffled  stony  brows.  At 
the  outer  gate  of  this  city,  I experienced  a sort  of 
modern  ‘ battle  of  the  apes.’  Reared  high  above  the 


SCULPTURED  TOWER.  151 

gateway  stood  a series  of  subordinate  towers,  having  a 
single  larger  one  in  their  centre,  whose  apex  again 
displayed  to  us  the  four  benign  faces  of  the  ancient 
god.  The  image  was  partly  concealed  beneath  para- 


SCULPTURED  TOWER  IN  NAKHON  THOM,  THE  ANCIENT  CAPITAL  OF 
CAMBODIA. 


The  cut  represents  a single  example  out  of  fifty-one  stone  towers  which  adorn  the  ancient 
temple  ‘ Pres-sat-ling-pown,’  in  the  heart  of  Nakhon  Thom  or  ‘ Inthapatapuri.’ 


sitic  plants,  which  twined  their  clustering  fibres  in  a rude 
garland  around  the  now  neglected  head.  When  I 
attempted  to  photograph  this  object,  a tribe  of  black 


152 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


apes,  wearing  white  beards,  came  hooting  along  the 
branches  of  the  overhanging  trees,  swinging  and  shaking 
the  boughs,  so  as  to  render  my  success  impossible.  A 
party  of  French  sailors,  who  were  assisting  the  late 
Captain  de  Lagree  in  his  researches  into  the  Cambodian 
ruins,  came  up  opportunely,  and  sent  a volley  among  my 
mischievous  opponents  ; whereupon  they  disappeared 
with  what  haste  they  might,  and  fled  away  till  their 
monkey  jargon  was  lost  in  the  recesses  of  the  forest. 

On  our  return  to  Siamrap  we  found  our  old  friend 
the  Chow  Muang  busily  engaged  in  the  cremation 
services  of  the  deputy  governor,  who  had  deceased  not 
long  before.  The  funeral  pyre  was  set  beneath  an 
imposing  catafalque,  with  a spire  that  reminded  us  of 
some  Gothic  church.  A pavilion  had  also  been  erected 
to  accommodate  the  spectators,  of  whom  there  were 
two  hundred  or  thereabouts.  The  ceremony  began  with 
a procession  of  Buddhist  priests,  behind  whom  followed 
a band  of  musicians,  a troop  of  hired  mourners  bringing 
up  the  rear.  These  mourners  kept  to  their  work  bravely, 
the  chief  leading  off  with  a shrill  wail,  and  his  associates 
supporting  him  with  a chorus  of  sobs.  While  the  body 
was  still  burning,  the  townsfolk  gave  themselves  up  to 
the  delights  of  a banquet,  or  occupied  their  time  with 
the  theatricals  and  a variety  of  other  amusements  which 
had  been  provided  for  their  entertainment,  but  gambling 
was  the  pastime  most  in  vogue.  The  comic  evolutions 
of  a dwarf  and  a giant  were  received  with  general 
approbation,  while  a troop  of  pretty  Lakon  girls,  who 
danced  to  native  music,  came  in  also  to  show  that  the 
burning  of  the  body  of  a chief  was  by  no  means  a 
subject  to  call  forth  intense  mourning,  any  more  than 
the  burning  of  a house  would  with  us,  when  one  felt 


CREMATION. 


153 


certain  that  the  owners  were  safe  and  their  effects 
insured.  The  deceased  chief  they  supposed  had  gone, 
leaving  behind  nothing  more  than  his  old  tenement  of 
clay,  that  in  his  future  state  he  might  take  possession 
of  one  better  fitted  for  a being  one  degree  nearer 
Nirvana.  The  only  objection  to  the  practice  of  cre- 
mation in  our  own  Christian  country  that  can  be 
reasonably  urged,  is  the  feeling  that  the  relatives  of 
deceased  persons  would  be  sanctioning,  or  taking  part 
in,  what  to  them  might  seem  to  be  a barbarous  des- 
truction of  familiar  and  much-loved  forms,  in  place  of 
consigning  them  to  the  silent,  slow,  but  equally  certain 
and  more  loathsome  process  of  decomposition  in  the 
grave.  Some,  again,  would  ask,  what  if  our  real  bodies 
are,  one  day,  to  be  raised  up  from  the  dead  ? — putting 
no  faith  in  the  theory  that  the  dust  of  the  dead  mixes 
with  its  parent  soil,  and  is  constantly  being  redistributed 
among  living  plants  and  animals ; and  that  the  gases  of 
the  body  pass  into  the  air,  and  are  carried  with  the 
wind  over  the  wide  world.  Such  persons  would  thus 
seek  to  limit  the  power  of  the  Almighty  by  supposing 
that  the  process  of  cremation  would  in  some  way  affect 
the  ultimate  designs  of  God.  But  this  is  a subject  on 
which  I cannot  enter  here.  It  seems  to  me,  however, 
that  no  valid  objections  can  be  raised  to  cremation  as 
a rapid  means  of  disposing  of  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
in  overcrowded  cities,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  which 
extensive  and  overstocked  burial-grounds  have  proved 
detrimental  to  the  health  of  the  community. 

Next  day  we  mounted  our  elephants  and  started 
for  the  ‘ Richi  Mountains,’  about  thirty  miles  distant 
from  Siamrap.  It  is  said  that  these  mountains  contain 
the  quarries  from  which  ancient  Cambodians  obtained 


•54 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


their  supplies  of  stone.  On  our  route  we  passed  more 
ruins,  the  most  remarkable  being  a broad  causeway 
which  led  right  up  to  the  foot  of  the  hills,  and  which 
was  still  in  very  serviceable  repair.  The  officer  who 
accompanied  us  made  a series  of  devout  offerings  at 
the  shrines  in  the  forest,  in  order  to  gain  the  favour  of 
the  malignant  spirits  that  infest  these  wilds.  We  then 
set  out  bare-backed  upon  the  elephants,  to  attempt  to 
penetrate  the  thick  jungle  of  the  mountains. 

But  riding  bare-backed  upon  an  elephant  was  by 
no  means  as  agreeable  as  it  was  new  to  us. 

The  loose  skin  on  the  back  had  a nasty  way  of 
carrying  one  over  the  hard  spine  of  the  animal.  How- 
ever, there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  submit  and  push 
on,  as  howdahs  could  not  be  used  ; and  we  soon  dis- 
covered that  even  the  elephants  themselves  could  not 
make  way  through  the  gigantic  wall  of  jungle  and 
forest  that  closed  us  round  on  all  sides.  We  had  there- 
fore to  return,  but  not  before  seeing  what  we  imagined 
to  be  traces  of  ancient  stone  quarries.  The  expedition 
occupied  nearly  three  days,  after  which  w*e  pushed  on 
for  the  head  of  ‘ Thale  Sap  ’ lake. 

This  lake  rises  during  the  rains  to  a very  con- 
siderable depth,  and  forms  a sort  of  back-water  to  the 
river  Mekong ; but  when  we  crossed  it,  which  it  took 
us  about  five  days  to  do,  we  found  that  the  water  was 
seldom  more  than  three  or  four  feet  deep,  whereas,  at 
the  end  of  the  wet  season,  it  becomes  so  full  that  even 
the  forests  on  its  banks  are  submerged.  A number  of 
fishermen’s  villages  studded  the  lake,  some  of  them 
far  from  the  shores,  and  supported  on  piles  which  had 
been  driven  into  the  soft  bottom  of  the  lake.  These 
villages,  from  their  situation  and  general  appearance, 


THALE  SAP. 


*55 


reminded  me  of  the  accounts  given  of  the  pre-historic 
Lake-dwellings  of  Switzerland.  The  houses  are 
erected  above  a platform  of  bamboo,  common  to 
the  entire  settlement,  and  used  also  for  drying  and 
curing  fish.  After  descending  Thale  Sap,  and  entering 
the  stream  that  connects  it  with  the  Mekong,  we 
discovered  that  a great  trade  in  fish-oil  was  carried  on 
in  the  Annamese  settlements  along  the  banks.  It  sur- 
prised us  to  see  the  enormous  quantities  of  fish  that 
were  caught  in  this  lake,  and  then  sent  to  the  Annamese 
villages  to  be  boiled  down  into  oil. 

The  trade  is  a lucrative  one,  and  gives  employ- 
ment to  thousands  of  families — the  only  really  indus- 
tious  ones  in  this  quarter.  We  came  into  contact 
with  European  civilization  once  more  when  a sudden 
bend  of  the  stream  brought  us  in  sight  of  a small  gun- 
boat, which  was  there  awaiting  the  return  of  M.  de 
Lagr^e  from  Siamrap.  The  meeting  was  as  welcome 
as  it  was  unexpected,  and  I shall  be  ever  grateful  to 
those  kindly  French  officers  for  cordially  receiving  us 
on  board.  On  March  26th  we  landed  at  Campong 
Luang,  the  first  trading-place  of  any  pretensions 
which  we  had  yet  reached  on  our  downward  voyage. 
There  are  many  Malays  settled  in  this  town,  as  might 
be  expected  from  the  name  it  bears.  Malay  settle- 
ments, indeed,  are  common  on  both  banks  of  the 
stream  ; but  regarding  the  date  at  which  they  came  into 
the  country,  the  village  chiefs  whom  I interrogated  could 
give  no  certain  information.  They  adhere  to  their 
own  customs,  are  governed  by  their  own  chiefs,  and 
are  followers  of  the  Mohammedan  religion. 

The  bazaar  at  Campong  Luang  presented  a most 
animated  scene,  and  we  saw  few  there  who  were  not 


r56 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


well-dressed  and  busy,  and  to  all  appearance  pros- 
perous. 

We  reached  Penompinh  on  the  night  of  the  27th, 
and  anchored  off  the  palace,  in  the  centre  of  the  town. 
Just  below  this  place  there  is  a point  at  which  several 
streams  converge.  Of  these  confluents  the  most  im- 
portant is  the  great  river  Mekong,  and  after  that  the 
artery  which  drains  the  lake  at  one  season  and  fills  it 
at  another,  and  down  which  we  had  been  shaping  our 
course.  The  King  treated  us  with  great  courtesy, 
assigning  us  a house  within  the  palace  grounds,  and 
entertaining  us  repeatedly  at  his  table,  where  excellent 
dinners  were  specially  prepared  for  us  in  completely 
European  style.  The  fact  is,  his  majesty  had  a 
French  cook  in  his  pay  • and  this  was  the  secret  of  a 
culinary  skill  which  at  first  took  us  somewhat  by 
surprise.  These  dinners  were  a real  enjoyment,  for 
we  had  not  had  a good  meal  for  some  time ; as  my 
readers  will  understand  when  I tell  them  that  at 
Nakhon  Wat — thinking  we  should  be  all  the  better  for 
some  strengthening  food,  and  not  being  familiar  with  the 
American  plan  of  cutting  a steak  as  we  required  it,  and 
keeping  the  animal  going  alive — we  had  to  purchase 
a whole  bullock  to  secure  a joint  of  beef.  The  animal 
afforded  us  about  three  good  meals,  and  caused  us  to 
be  looked  upon  as  demons  by  the  devout  Buddhists 
for  slaying  an  ox.  We  then  tried  to  preserve  portions 
of  the  carcase,  but  it  was  a failure. 

His  majesty  honoured  us  with  a long  performance 
of  his  dancing  women.  However,  it  was  truly  a 
tedious  affair  when  the  first  novelty  of  the  exhibition 
had  worn  off.  As  for  the  King,  he  lay  stretched  out  in 
a nearly  nude  condition,  betel-chewing  and  smoking, 


A MALAY  FIRE. 


157 


till  the  whole  entertainment  came  to  an  end.  Truly, 
the  cares  of  state  must  sit  easily  on  his  royal  breast. 

In  return  for  a number  of  presents  we  laid  at  the 
feet  of  this  easy-going  potentate,  he  one  morning  sent 
us  a whole  pig.  He  must  have  done  this  without 
consulting  the  members  of  his  Cabinet,  for  otherwise 
a monarch  so  enlightened  would  hardly  have  been 
guilty  of  so  inconsiderate  an  act. 

The  sight  was  too  much  for  our  way-worn  China- 
men. Here  was  an  entire  fat  porker,  all  our  own, 
handed  over  to  us  as  a free  gift.  Their  masters 
would  not  eat  of  it,  and  that  they  well  knew.  Almost 
mechanically  they  stripped  their  jackets  off,  and  whetted 
their  knives,  stopping  every  now  and  then  to  gaze  and 
grin,  and  smack  their  lips  in  a sort  of  delirium  of  joy. 
After  three  days  of  uninterrupted  feasting  there  was 
very  little  left  of  the  pig  ; but  our  celestial  serving-men 
made  a touching  appeal  to  us  to  pay  them  their  dues, 
and  suffer  them  to  remain  behind  in  a country  where 
pigs  are  given  away. 

I photographed  the  King  in  his  native  robes  of  state, 
and  a second  time  in  the  uniform  of  a French  field- 
marshal.  In  the  latter  instance,  I remember,  there  was 
some  difficulty  about  the  boots,  which  I think  ended 
in  his  majesty  borrowing  a pair  from  his  cook. 

One  night  during  our  stay  a fire  broke  out  in  a large 
Malay  settlement  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream. 
The  spectacle  was  a grand  one,  and  we  hurried  across 
the  river,  to  see  whether  we  could  be  of  any  use. 
Judge  our  surprise  to  find  the  Malays — men,  women, 
and  children — coolly  sitting  at  the  water’s  edge  watching 
the  devouring  flames.  At  length  we  made  up  to  the 
‘ Orang-datu,’  or  chief,  and  prayed  him  to  rouse  the 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


158 

people  to  do  something  to  save  their  effects ; but  he 
laconically  replied,  ‘ Teda  tuan  ! ’ (No,  sir).  ‘ Why  not  ? 
Have  they  then,  themselves,  set  fire  to  the  village?’ 

‘ Teda  tuan’  (No,  sir),  again.  ‘ Tuan  Allapoonia  krajah  ! 
Kinappa  bullie  baut  ? ’ (It  is  God's  work!  What  can 
we  do  ?)  The  old  man  afterwards  informed  me,  when 
the  fire  had  done  its  worst,  that  it  was  customary  for 
good  sons  of  Islam  to  allow  a conflagration  to  take 
its  natural  course,  as  it  was  simply  one  of  God’s  most 
direct  ways  of  punishing  a much-loved  community  for 
their  sins.  ‘ Praised  be  God,’  he  said,  as  the  last  house 
fell  among  the  ashes,  and  the  inhabitants  prepared  to 
spend  the  night  beneath  the  cloudless  sky.  Had  he 
said  that  the  fire  was  the  work  of  the  devil,  he  would 
have  been  much  nearer  the  truth.  For  there  were 
others  in  the  town  who  assured  us  that  conflagrations 
of  this  sort  are  brought  about  by  incendaries — men  who 
have  just  brought  a large  stock  of  bamboos  to  the 
place,  and  who  will  get  a better  sale  for  their  wares  if 
a fire  brings  building-material  into  brisk  demand. 
Such  conflagrations,  therefore,  are  by  no  means  un- 
common, the  simple  inhabitants  invariably  setting  it 
down  to  their  own  sins,  while  crafty  Chinese. speculators 
grow  fat  on  the  misery  which  their  own  mischief  entails. 
The  authorities  are  aware  of  this  ; probably  some  of 
them  get  hush-money  out  of  the  nefarious  traffic. 

Provided  with  elephants  by  the  King,  from  whom, 
as  well  as  from  the  French  officers  at  Campong  Luang, 
we  received  every  kindness  and  attention,  we  set  out  for 
Kamput.  The  district  crossed  on  our  five  days’  journey 
overland  abounded  in  forest-clad  mountains  and  richly 
cultivated  alluvial  plains  ; but,  as  it  was  now  the  very 
height  of  the  dry  season,  we  suffered  extremely  from 


CROSSING  THE  COUNTRY. 


*59 


scarcity  of  water.  The  districts  which  lie  between  Pe- 
nompinh  and  Kamput  are  perhaps  the  most  productive 
of  any  in  the  present  kingdom  of  Cambodia.  Rice  is 
grown  there  in  such  abundance  as  to  admit  of  a consider- 
able export  trade,  although  that  grain  is  the  staple  food 
on  which  the  people  depend  for  their  sustenance.  Palm- 
sugar  is  another  important  article  of  commerce  raised  in 
this  quarter.  Silk  also  is  produced  and  manufactured 
into  the  rich  langoutis,  prized  no  less  for  the  brilliancy  of 
their  dyes  than  for  the  durability  of  their  texture.  At 
one  spot  in  a plain  which  we  crossed,  a band  of  rebels 
had  formerly  been  overthrown,  and  the  skull  of  a ring- 
leader who  had  been  captured  and  put  to  death  was 
still  to  be  seen  impaled  upon  a post,  as  a warning  to 
evil-doers.  The  intense  heats  of  the  day  were  followed 
by  a clammy  night  air,  and  by  heavy  falls  of  dew.  Once, 
after  a heavy  day’s  march,  we  stretched  ourselves  out, 
as  usual,  to  pass  the  night  on  the  open  plain ; and  at 
daybreak,  when  I awoke  and  turned  round  to  where  my 
companion  lay,  I felt  my  limbs  stiff  and  racked  with 
pain,  and  I saw  how  my  friend,  where  he  still  slept,  had 
his  head  and  hair  glistening  with  a thousand  drops  ol 
dew.  After  a while  the  rheumatic  pains  wore  off,  but 
we  took  care  henceforward  to  observe  greater  caution 
in  the  selection  of  a resting-place.  Passing  through  a 
rocky  defile  between  mountains  clad  in  evergreen 
forests,  and  rising  five  or  six  thousand  feet  above  the 
plain,  we  emerged  on  April  9 on  the  cultivated  lands 
around  Kamput,  having  spent  about  five  days  in  the 
accomplishment  of  our  journey. 

Kamput  stands  on  the  coast  near  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  Gulf  of  Siam,  and  is  approached  by 
a small  shallow  river  not  easily  navigable,  and  having 


i6o 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


a bar  at  its  mouth  which  obliges  the  ships  that  trade 
at  the  port  to  anchor  in  the  road  outside.  The  chief 
merchants  at  Kamput  are,  as  a matter  of  course,  China- 
men. It  is  the  Chinese,  too,  who  cultivate  the  rice, 
sugar,  and  pepper  which  form  the  chief  articles  of  the 
local  export  trade.  But  the  business  of  the  place  had 
fallen  off,  and  the  port,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  was 
said  to  be  blockaded  by  a piratical  fleet  of  junks,  owned 
and  manned  by  men  of  the  same  race  as  the  merchants 
whom  they  sought  to  plunder,  but  hailing  from  different 
provinces  ; the  merchants  belonging  mostly  to  Fukien, 
and  the  pirates  to  the  island  of  Hainan.  It  was 
reported  to  us  that  some  of  these  junks  were  bound 
for  Bangkok ; and  one  of  our  own  servants,  a Hainan 
man,  who  brought  us  the  information,  suggested  to  us 
to  embark  among  his  piratical  kinsmen ; but  an  old 
Malay  chief,  whom  we  fell  in  with  at  Kamput,  gave  us 
a hint  of  the  danger,  and  we  therefore  declined  the 
proposal. 

This  Malay  chief  was  an  officer  in  the  service  of 
the  King  of  Cambodia  ; one  who,  with  his  trusty  sword, 
had  aided  more  than  once  in  suppressing  rebellion  in 
the  land.  I enquired  of  him  if,  for  any  consideration, 
he  would  part  with  that  sword.  Bending  the  blade 
nearly  double,  and  allowing  it  to  spring  out  to  within 
an  inch  of  my  throat,  he  replied  ‘ No,  sir  ! when  I part 
with  my  sword  I part  with  my  life.’  There  is  at 
Kamput  a Malay  settlement,  of  fighting  men  as  far  as 
I could  make  out.  But  our  friend  Mohamet,  as  I shall 
call  him,  though  I did  not  learn  his  true  name,  told  me 
a long  story  about  a peaceful  mission  with  which  he 
had  been  entrusted,  and  one  affecting  the  prosperity  of 
the  kingdom.  He  said,  ‘ I was  despatched  to  the  dis- 


MOHAMET'S  EXPL  ORA  TIONS.  i 6 1 

tant  mountains  to  search  for  a white  elephant  reported 
to  have  been  seen  by  some  “Orang  Outan  ” or  “ Orang 
Bukit,”  wild  men  of  the  mountains,  who  dwell  there.’ 

‘ But  who  are  these  wild  men  ? ’ I said.  Mohamet, 
assuming  an  expression  of  compassion  at  my  ignorance, 
replied,  ‘ Ah,  you  seem  to  know  a good  many  things, 
and  yet  you  don’t  know  that.’  ‘ Did  you  ever  see  one 
yourself,  Mohamet?’  ‘No,  sir,  not  exactly,  not  alto- 
gether, but  I have  seen  them  flying  off  through  the 
forest.  They  are  very  black  and  hairy,  have  a lan- 
guage of  their  own,  eat  nuts  and  fruit,  just  like 
monkeys,  and  shoot  game  with  the  bow  and  arrow. 

‘ Come  with  me  and  I will  show  you  them.  More- 
over, if  you  are  fond  of  sport,  there  are  the  elephant, 
rhinoceros,  tiger,  deer,  besides  a multitude  of  other 
animals  which  inhabit  these  wilds,  and  on  which  the 
“ Orang  Bukit  ” feed.  More  than  that,  if  you  give  me 
ten  days,  as  you  hold  the  King’s  letter,  I will  take  you 
over  yonder  mountains  to  a place  near  the  summit  of 
them,  where  sacred  lotus  pools  are  to  be  seen,  and  lilies 
big  enough  to  sit  in.  There,  at  night,  you  hear  the 
whisperings  of  strange  beings  around  the  pools,  and 
see  the  weird  lights  of  the  “ Orang  Anto”  (spirits),  as 
they  feed  the  reptiles  that  dwell  in  the  waters.  On 
the  summit  of  the  mountain  there  are  foot-prints  of 
animals  of  all  sizes  in  the  solid  rock,  some  three  feet  in 
diameter,  some  smaller ; some  cloven,  and  some  with 
toes  and  nails;  all  of  them  perfect,  as  if  they  had  been 
moulded  in  clay.  But  I am  coming  to  what  I desired 
to  tell  you  about,  and  by  the  holy  prophet  of  Mecca  it 
is  true!’  Here  he  made  a gesture,  as  if  to  cut  his 
throat,  as  a token  of  his  veracity.  ‘ On  the  mountain 
top  there  stands  a ship  made  of  stone.  It  wants  the 


162 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


masts,  it  is  true  ; but  there,  on  the  deck,  is  a coil  of  rope, 
also  of  stone.  It  is  an  immense  ship,  worn  in  places  ; 
but  it  is  still  complete,  and  who  can  say  for  how  many 
tens  of  thousands  of  years  it  has  stood  where  we  may 
see  it  now.’  As  to  the  white  elephant,  he  was  not  to 
be  found,  nor  could  he  open  communication  with  the 
‘ Orang  Bukit.’ 

It  was  difficult  to  know  what  to  make  of  such  a 
story  as  this.  Mohamet  spoke  as  one  who  was  record- 
ing only  what  he  had  actually  seen,  and  sketched  me 
an  outline  of  the  stone  ship  with  the  point  of  his  sword 
on  the  sand. 

Perhaps  he  may  have  seen  what  he  related  in  some 
dream,  and  told  the  story  repeatedly,  till  belief  in  its 
reality  had  ultimately  taken  possession  of  his  mind. 
Perhaps  he  had  discovered  Noah’s  Ark,  and  the  true 
Mount  Ararat.  Perhaps  it  was  a pure  fabrication, 
founded  on  the  account  of  the  deluge  contained  in  the 
Koran. 

At  any  rate  he  volunteered  to  take  us  to  tlie  spot, 
and  the  offer  was  a tempting  one  ; but  we  decided  that 
we  were  both  of  us  much  in  want  of  change,  for  our 
health  had  been  somewhat  impaired  by  the  heat 
of  the  climate,  by  the  scarcity  of  pure  water,  and  by 
the  absence  of  nutritious  food.  So  we  hired  a boat  with 
six  men  on  board  her,  and  set  sail  up  the  Gulf  for 
Bangkok,  a distance  of  about  500  miles.  Trusting  to 
a small  map  of  this  region,  and  to  our  compass,  we  kept 
watch  and  watch,  Kennedy  and  myself,  and  made  the 
run  to  the  mouth  of  the  Menam  in  rather  less  than  five 
days. 

Some  of  the  islands  where  we  landed  on  our  route 
were  uninhabited,  save  only  by  birds,  insects,  and  wild 


ARRIVAL  AT  BANGKOK'. 


163 

animals.  On  one  we  found  the  spoor  of  the  elephant, 
where  that  animal  had  been  recently  feeding ; and  this 
fact  is  valuable,  in  so  far  as  it  tends  to  corroborate  the 
theory  that  these  islands  were  originally  attached  to  the 
mainland, and  were  separated  probably  by  the  subsidence 
consequent  on  volcanic  action,  as  Mr.  Wallace  suggests 
when  endeavouring  to  account  for  the  natural  history  of 
the  regions  through  which  he  travelled.  There  is  hardly 
a bare  spot  on  these  islands.  They  are  clothed  with  an 
evergreen  foliage  to  their  summits,  and  rise  from  the  sea 
a glorious  confusion  of  gigantic  trees,  tangled  shrubs,  and 
parasitic  plants  ; save  when  bold  red  cliffs  peep  out, 
here  and  there,  amid  a drapery  of  pendant  creepers. 
Among  the  boulders  and  bright  sand  on  the  beach  are 
found  clear  pools,  filled  with  beautiful  marine  plants 
and  sparkling  shells.  The  surrounding  bed  of  the 
ocean,  seen  many  fathoms  down  through  the  glassy 
water,  rivals  the  island  in  the  rich  colours  of  its  corals, 
shells,  and  plants. 

On  the  night  of  the  1 8th  we  steered,  as  we  thought, 
to  fetch  the  mouth  of  the  Menam  ; but  it  was  unfor- 
tunately dark,  and  the  land  lay  so  low  that  we  ran  in- 
shore about  five  miles  to  the  eastward,  and  had  to 
come  to  anchor  with  a heavy  sea  running,  which 
favoured  us  with  cold  baths  at  short  intervals  through- 
out  the  night. 

We  made  sail  again  next  day  at  daybreak,  and 
reached  Bangkok  in  safety,  much  to  the  surprise  of 
some  of  our  friends,  who  had  recommended,  when  we 
left,  that  we  should  take  with  us  our  coffins,  and  have 
the  Burial  Service  read  before  starting. 

o 

*3 


1 64 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Saigon;  its  Harbour — The  Town — The  Resident  Foreign  Community — 
Cholon,  the  Chinese  Town — River  Dwellings — Customs  of  the  Cochin 
Chinese — Chinese  Traders — The  Cochin  Chinese  Village  of  Choquan — 
The  Sorcerer — Plaine  des  Tombeaux — Petruski. 

Saigon,  in  French  Cochin  China,  is  approached  by  an 
offshoot  of  the  great  Mekong  river,  narrow  and 
tortuous  indeed,  but  nevertheless  navigable  for  vessels 
of  the  heaviest  tonnage.  The  town  itself  has  a gay 
look  about  it,  or  had,  at  least,  during  the  time  of  my 
visit ; but  it  has  a somewhat  straggling  appearance. 
Facing  the  settlement  there  is  a spacious  haven,  con- 
taining a floating-dock,  and  a fleet  made  up  of  ironclads, 
steamers  of  the  ‘ Messageries  Maritime’  line,  and  other 
private  trading  companies,  besides  many  square-rigged 
ships  awaiting  cargoes  of  rice,  the  chief  product  of  the 
vast  alluvial  plains  of  southern  Cochin  China.  Along 
the  banks  run  a long  low  line  of  cafes  and  mercantile 
or  government  offices,  surmounted  by  the  flags  of  the 
different  consulates,  while  by  far  the  most  conspicuous 
building  was  an  hotel  in  progress  of  erection,  which 
promised  to  become  a very  imposing  edifice. 

The  wide  level  roads,  edged  with  rows  of  trees, 
and  penetrating  for  miles  in  perfectly  straight  lines 
through  the  country,  were  an  attractive  feature  in  the 
settlement ; showing  also  that  the  Government  had  lost 
no  time  and  spared  no  expense  in  adopting  measures 


SAJGON. 


165 

which  materially  contributed  to  the  health  and  enjoy- 
ment of  the  community.  As  for  the  residents  them- 
selves, they  have  provided  their  dwellings  with  many 
of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  home.  As  far,  how- 
ever, as  I could  judge,  the  bulk  of  the  Saigon  commerce 
is  in  the  hands  of  the  English  and  Germans.  At  the 
same  time,  there  were  a large  number  of  French  houses; 
yet  the  French  merchant,  somehow,  seems  to  carry  on 
his  trade  with  a degree  of  polite  ease  and  light  but 
elegant  deliberation,  which  constitute  his  business  a 
means  of  supplying  a comfortable  pleasant  livelihood, 
rather  than  an  instrument  which,  after  days  of  weary 
toil,  sleepless  nights,  and  continuous  struggle,  will  en- 
able him  to  wrest  a competency  from  the  hands  of  for- 
tune. It  is  interesting  to  note  how  the  day  was  usually 
portioned  out.  About  half-past  five  or  six  o’clock  in 
the  morning  the  man-servant  (Chinese)  would  tap  at 
the  door.  ‘Tuan  bangon  adda  copee  ! ’ ‘ Awake,  sir, 
coffee  is  ready,’  is  the  announcement  he  brings,  in 
Malay,  a language  spoken  by  the  Singapore  Chinese. 
Refreshed  with  a cup  of  coffee — of  the  true  Parisian 
flavour,  by  the  way — and  with  a plate  of  freshly-gathered 
fruit,  the  merchant  would  descend  in  bajo  and  pajamas 
(sleeping  costume)  to  the  office  on  the  ground-floor  ; 
and  there,  having  lit  his  cheroot,  he  would  sit  down  to 
business  till  about  half-past  nine  o’clock.  To  bathe 
and  complete  the  toilet  is  the  next  duty  to  be  fulfilled, 
and  after  this  follows  breakfast,  with  its  rice,  curry, 
and  so  forth ; such  a repast,  indeed,  with  slight 
variations,  as  are  the  breakfasts  which  we  know  every- 
where in  the  East.  The  meal  concluded,  time  is 
whiled  away  with  reading,  sleeping,  smoking,  and  loung- 
ing, until  the  cool  of  the  afternoon  has  arrived.  Then 


i66 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


tiffin  (luncheon)  is  served  up,  and  after  tiffin  work  is 
renewed  for  two  or  three  hours.  Some  time  is  then 
spent  in  a promenade,  to  listen  to  the  band  ; in  a game 
of  billiards,  or  ‘ ecarte  ’ at  the  club  ; or  in  sipping  a 
ffiass  of  absinthe  at  the  favourite  cafe.  After  dinner 

o> 

the  evening  would  be  spent  at  home,  or  it  might  be 
at  the  club  or  cafe,  where  card -parties  were  made  up 
and  play  carried  on  to  a late  hour. 

This  sort  of  existence  is,  of  course,  varied  by 
private  balls,  dinner-parties,  and  state  receptions  at 
Government-house.  I remember  meeting  one  or  two 
of  the  representative  Chinamen  at  a Government  ball, 
and  among  them  one  who  had  never  before  been 
present  at  such  a gathering.  Some  one  had  informed 
this  gentleman  that  the  dancing  carried  on  with 
great  seriousness  and  ceremonial  was  part  of  our 
European  burial  service,  and  he  was  gravely  enquiring 
whether  he  should  not  have  appeared  in  white  (deep 
mourning)  as  a token  of  sympathy  for  the  bereaved, 
till  he  discovered  that  he  had  been  the  victim  of  a 
hoax.  But  the  imaginative  Frenchmen  sometimes 
will  themselves  fall  a prey  to  delusion.  On  one 
occasion,  at  a quiet  dinner  given  by  a French  mer- 
chant, I found  the  guests  could  talk  of  nothing  else 
but  the  untimely  end  of  a devoted  naturalist  and 
distinguished  traveller  who  had  filled  the  position  of 
director  of  the  ‘Jardin  Botanique  ’ in  Saigon.  It  was 
reported  that  this  unfortunate  gentleman  had  been 
robbed  and  murdered  by  a band  of  natives  in  a hill 
district,  where  he  had  for  some  months  been  prose- 
cuting his  botanical  researches.  Our  party  was  truly 
a sad  meeting ; the  young  martyr  to  science  was  loved 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him,  and  those  present, 


CHOLON. 


167 


one  and  all,  vowed  to  wreak  a speedy  vengeance  on 
the  heads  of  the  assassins,  a number  of  whom — so  the 
rumour  ran — had  already  been  secured.  The  tide  of 
sympathy  was  now  at  its  height,  when  a light  foot  was 
heard  on  the  stairs — in  a moment  the  door  flew  open, 
and  the  murdered  savant  rushed  into  the  arms  of  his 
sorrowing  fellow-countrymen.  He  had,  as  it  turned 
out,  lost  all  his  property,  but  a well-disposed  native 
had  saved  his  life. 

Cholon,  the  native  quarter  of  Saigon,  is  separated 
from  the  European  settlement  by  a distance  of  three 
miles.  Let  the  reader  join  me  in  a morning  walk  to 
this  half  Chinese,  half  Annamese  town.  Our  course  is 
along  the  footway  of  the  ‘ Grand  Canal  ’ — grand  in 
nothing  but  its  name,  for  the  banks  are  overgrown  with 
rank  weeds,  and  the  waters  at  high  tide  are  muddy, 
and  at  low  tide  mud.  A pack  of  pariah  dogs  rush 
madly  across  the  road,  and  through  the  cloud  of  dust 
which  they  raise  we  can  discern  the  outlines  of  a train 
of  Cambodian  carts,  each  cart  having  a pair  of  bullocks 
tethered  by  a rope  through  their  nostrils  to  the  con- 
veyance immediately  in  front.  The  whole  train  is 
managed  by  a little  boy,  for  the  traders  are  still  asleep 
among  the  tusks,  hides,  horns,  gum-dammar  and  gam- 
boge, which  they  are  bringing  to  market  for  sale. 
The  cart-wheels  creak  hideously  around  their  dry 
wooden  axles,  and  indeed  would  make  the  fortune  of  any 
speculator  who  should  be  enterprising  enough  to  drive 
them  up  and  down  some  quiet  London  neighbourhood. 
We  had  now  entered  the  main  Cholon  road.  Yonder  is 
the  Gendarmerie  on  the  left,  and  here  come  a long  row 
of  barefooted  women,  bringing  fresh  vegetables  to  the 
town.  Their  dress  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Chinese 
peasant  girls,  excepting  their  hats,  and  these  resemble 


i68 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


huge  baskets  poised  above  their  heads.  Hats  of  this 
sort  are  made  of  dried  leaves,  and  measure  two  feet  in 
diameter,  by  six  inches  in  depth.  The  men  wear  head- 
pieces  even  larger  still,  conical  in  shape,  and  descend- 
ing over  the  shoulders ; these  huge  extinguishers  are 
tilted  up  in  order  to  enable  their  wearers  to  see  their 
way,  and  are*of  a sort  well  suited  to  the  Annamese  cha- 
racter, for  they  afford  shelter  from  rain,  and  this  is 
everything  among  a people  who  deem  pure  water  to  be 
their  deadliest  foe.  During  a residence  of  three  months 
in  Cochin  China,  I do  not  recollect  ever  having  seen  a 
native  wash  himself,  unless  Avhen  requested  to  do  so, 
that  a fair  photographic  representation  of  his  face 
might  be  obtained  ; and  even  then  the  operation  had  to 
be  carefully  watched,  for  the  washing  was  managed  in 
such  a way  that  it  left  a rim  round  the  physiognomy, 
like  an  earthwork,  thrown  up  to  protect  the  features 
from  further  violence. 

Let  us,  however,  proceed  in  our  excursion.  There 
has  been  no  rain  for  months,  the  hedges  and  shrubs  are 
bronzed  with  dust,  but  enlivened  also  by  the  varied  co- 
lours of  the  convolvulus.  There  is  nothing  of  peculiar 
interest  to  be  seen  on  the  road  at  this  early  hour,  until 
we  get  within  a mile  from  the  town  ; and  then  we  come 
upon  the  ‘ Plaine  des  Tombeaux,’  a burial-ground  cover- 
ing an  area  of  about  twenty  miles.  This  ground  was 
chosen  by  the  native  rulers  hundreds  of  years  ago,  as  a 
resting-place  for  the  dead,  in  obedience  to  the  advice  of 
the  court  astrologers.  The  telegraph  which  skirts  the 
road  now  tells  of  new  life,  and  a new  era  in  the  history 
of  the  country.  Cholon  is  now  before  us  ; the  principal 
inhabitants  are  Chinese,  and  Chinese  characteristics  are 
to  be  discovered  everywhere  around,  no  less  in  the 
temples  and  the  houses  than  in  the  industrious  activity 


CHOLON. 


169 


of  the  population.  The  town  was  astir  hours  ago,  and 
in  the  faces  we  encounter  so  full  of  business  we 
recognize  only  Chinamen. 

In  order  to  see  something  of  the  Cochin  Chinese  we 
must  go  to  the  river-side,  where  there  are  hundreds  of 
boats  grouped  together,  forming  a native  floating  village. 
Many  of  the  Chinese  merchants  are  already  down  to  the 
boats,  treating  for  the  rice  which  they"  contain,  while 
others  have  closed  their  bargains,  and  are  paying  the 
natives  in  basket-loads  of  copper  cash.  A few  steps 
beyond  we  come  upon  the  river  dwellings.  Can  any  style 
of  life  be  more  primitive  than  this  ? The  caves  which 
our  British  forefathers  inhabited  were  castles  when  com 
pared  to  these  abodes,  and  the  Swiss  Lake-dwellings 
were  palaces.  Here  a family  of  seven  may  be  found 
domiciled  in  a hut  which  measures  five  feet  by  seven. 
The  sanitary  arrangements  are  simple.  The  structure 
is  elevated  on  a platform  a few  feet  above  the  stream, 
into  which  all  the  refuse  and  garbage  is  allowed  to  fall. 
The  capitalist,  if  he  proposes  to  build  a river  residence 
of  this  sort — one  offering  every  advantage  to  a large 
family  in  search  of  cheerful  society,  a commanding 
view  of  the  stream,  good  fishing  close  at  hand,  unen- 
cumbered by  tolls  and  ground  rent,  and  boasting  a 
drainage  system  so  unelaborated  and  cheap — has  to 
launch  out  the  sum  of  two-and-a-half  dollars,  or  twelve 
shillings,  in  the  construction  and  decoration  of  the 
edifice.  When  built,  the  proprietor  will  let  it  on  a repair- 
ing lease.  By  referring  to  the  picture  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  ‘ Paterfamilias  ’ has  modestly  retired  behind 
his  children.  As  the  morning  is  hot,  his  only  article  of 
clothing  is  a conical  hat,  the  badge  of  parental  dignity. 
He  would,  as  he  is  partially  civilized,  have  removed  this 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


1 70 

ornament  when  we  approached,  but  as  it  might  have 
led  to  a severe  cold  and  an  untimely  end,  I requested 
him  to  keep  it  on.  Clothing  in  this  neighbourhood  is 
one  of  the  most  expensive  items  in  the  maintenance  of 
a family,  although  articles  of  dress  are  usually  un- 
known to  the  children  until  they  become  five  years  old. 
In  front  of  these  huts  we  may  see  the  canoes,  scooped 
out  of  solid  logs,  and  used  for  friendly  visits,  marketing, 
or  fishing.  These  natives,  as  I have  already  said,  are 
not  cleanly  in  their  habits.  They  are  near  water,  but 
I fear  soap  would  find  a poor  market  among  them, 
unless  they  took  a fancy  to  eat  it,  which  sometimes 
occurs.  They  labour  as  little  as  they  possibly  can,  and 
spend  their  leisure  in  smoking,  in  chewing  as  much 
betel-nut  as  they  can  afford  to  buy,  and  in  the  chase  ; but 
their  hunting-ground  is  a ‘ caput  humanum,’  and  the 
tiny  game  is  esteemed  a great  delicacy.  Here,  in 
Cholon,  the  Chinese  is  the  dominant  trading  Asiatic 
race,  and  this  is  indeed  the  case  in  all  the  Malayan  and 
Indo-Chinese  nations  to  which  they  have  emigrated. 
They  are  almost  invariably  found  not  only  carrying  on 
a direct  import  and  export  trade  on  their  own  account, 
but  also  acting  as  middle-men  between  the  foreign 
merchants  and  the  natives.  I made  the  acquaintance 
of  one  or  two  China  merchants  in  Cholon,  who  not 
many  years  ago  arrived  in  the  country  as  ordinary  day 
labourers,  and  who  by  their  reputation  for  energy  and 
honest  dealing  won  for  themselves  the  support  and 
confidence  of  the  European  traders  in  Saigon. 

During  the  Chinese  new-year  holidays,  I had  an 
invitation  to  the  house  of  one  of  these  traders.  The 
place  was  built  in  semi-Chinese,  semi-European  style. 
The  front  warehouse  had  changed  its  usual  aspect. 


VIF.VV  OF  SHOI.ON,  COCHIN  CHINA 


CHOQUAN. 


171 

Tables  with  embroidered  covers  had  taken  the  place 
of  bales  of  piece  goods  and  bags  of  produce,  and  were 
laden  with  substantial  fare.  Some  hundreds  of  ver- 
milion visiting-cards,  each  about  the  size  of  a sheet  of 
note  paper,  and  inscribed  with  Chinese  names,  adorned 
the  walls.  In  a spacious  apartment  on  the  upper 
story  a table  was  spread  with  European  ware,  wines, 
and  delicacies.  Our  host  apologised  for  the  absence 
of  certain  plates  and  knives  by  saying  that  his  Cochin 
Chinese  friends  had  begged  to  be  allowed  to  carry 
them  off  as  curiosities.  Some  of  these  sons  of  Han 
settle  permanently  in  the  country,  but  the  majority 
return  to  China,  where,  having  purchased  a petty  title 
and  personal  security  with  a portion  of  their  savings, 
they  will  retire,  or  resume  business  with  what  is  left. 

The  village  of  Choquan  stands  about  half  way  be- 
tween Saigon  and  Cholon.  On  the  right  of  the  path- 
way by  which  it  is  reached  there  is  a well-grown 
bamboo  hedge,  and  on  the  left,  in  the  centre  of  a rice- 
field,  a deep  pool  in  which  buffaloes  delight  to  wallow, 
plastering  their  hides  with  mud  to  prevent  the  attacks 
of  the  moschettos.  Upon  approaching  Choquan  there  is 
nothing  to  be  seen  of  the  village,  save  the  fruit-trees  that 
cluster  round  the  houses  ; and  at  the  time  of  my  visit, 
orange  and  pumeloe-trees  ( Citrus  decumana ) were  in  full 
fruit,  bending  down  over  the  enclosures  with  the  burden 
of  their  crops.  The  village,  in  so  far  as  I could  make  out, 
is  entered  through  a narrow  lane  between  two  walls  of 
prickly  cactus  ; this  lane  led  to  a labyrinth  of  other  lanes, 
so  I was  puzzled  to  know  which  to  take  to  find 
Choquan.  But  I had  passed  through  the  heart  of  the 
hamlet  several  times  without  being  aware  of  it,  as  the 
scattered  houses  were  each  shut  in  by  high  hedges  of 


172 


I ND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


cactus  or  bamboo.  The  natives  love  privacy  ; every 
prickle  in  the  hedges  that  encompass  their  dwelling  is, 
as  it  were,  a token  that  the  family  within  would  rather 
be  alone.  If  one  be  not  satisfied  with  this,  the  outer 
doorway  has  only  to  be  opened,  when  one  or  two  ill- 
conditioned  pariah  dogs  will  show  their  fangs,  and  use 
them  too.  Groups  of  naked  children  roll  about  in  the 
dust  in  the  lanes,  or  loll  in  the  shade  smoking,  in- 
flating their  chubby  cheeks  with  the  fumes  of  the 
cigarette  and  blowing  them  out  again  through  mouth 
and  nostrils  with  that  air  of  intense  satisfaction  which 
belongs  usually  to  maturer  years.  Men,  too,  block  up 
the  way  squatting  or  (as  the  hedge  is  not  an  inviting 
object  to  lean  against)  lying  down  in  the  dust  to  have 
a talk,  or  else — as  there  are  no  ‘ Swans,’  ‘ Wheat 
Sheaves,’  or  ‘ Royal  Oaks,’  one  of  which  always  seems 
to  be  the  next  house  we  come  to  in  our  village  streets 
at  home — they  betake  themselves  to  their  own  abodes, 
bar  the  outer  gate,  get  into  the  verandah,  into  seats,  or 
upon  matted  benches  furnished  with  wooden  pillows, 
and  then,  in  a recumbent  position,  with  tea,  cigarette, 
sam-shu  and  betel-nut  within  reach,  resume  the  topic 
of  discussion,  the  interest  in  which  has  carried  them  so 
far  through  the  listless  day. 

Now  let  us  enter  one  of  these  dwellings.  The  two 
men  (for  what  I relate  I have  actually  witnessed),  now 
prostrated  with  their  conversational  efforts,  are  land- 
owners  in  the  village,  and  their  estates  measure  about 
an  acre  apiece.  The  pair  of  pleasant-faced  unwashed 
little  girls  who  fan  their  masters  are  domestic  slaves. 
The  lady  of  the  house  sits  smoking  and  dandling  her 
child  in  a dark  corner  of  the  interior.  The  edifice  itself 
is  well  built,  and  the  floor  stands  upon  brick  pillars 


A VILLAGE  ROAD,  COCHIN  CHINA 


COCHIN  CHINESE. 


*73 


about  three  feet  above  ground.  An  ornamental 
framework  of  carved  wood  supports  the  tiled  roof,  and 
the  interior  is  partitioned  off  into  apartments  for  the 
decent  accommodation  of  the  family.  In  front  there  are 
verandahs  on  each  side  of  the  doorway,  and  above  the 
lattice  is  a board  inscribed  with  the  owner’s  name  or 
title,  while  suspended  from  the  doorposts  are  addi- 
tional boards  bearing  texts  from  the  Chinese  classics. 
If  the  owner  be  a man  of  wealth,  the  entire  front  of 
his  house  is  carved  into  open  work,  which  with  the  ad- 
dition of  paint  and  gilding  presents  an  imposing  aspect, 
and  serves  to  screen  the  defects  within,  where  the 
family  are  kept  lively  by  the  vermin  that  revel  in  the 
darkness  and  dirt.  The  fetid  air  of  the  interior  deters 
one  from  a prolonged  inspection.  Let  us  notice,  how- 
ever, the  unique  arrangement  of  a boudoir  where  an 
old  woman  is  seated  on  a table  sewing,  and  an  elderly 
gentleman  reclines  on  a neatly-covered  couch.  A few 
chairs  of  Chinese  make  are  ranged  round  the  apart- 
ment. On  one  of  them  stands  a rice-pot  filled  with 
oranges,  a bowl  of  rice,  a cup  of  sam-shu,  and  one  or 
two  disused  idols.  On  another  we  may  see  sundry 
articles  of  horse  harness,  and  above  it  a Roman 
Catholic  picture  in  red  and  yellow.  Beneath  the  chair 
are  a bag  of  fruits  and  a lot  of  agricultural  implements. 
Chinese  and  European  pictures  are  hung  about  the 
walls  ; and  one  or  two  mirrors,  which  give  most  hideous 
contortions  of  the  human  face,  make  up  the  adornments 
of  the  dwelling. 

Now  for  a breath  of  pure  air,  and  I will  take  you 
to  another  quarter  of  Choquan,  where  a sorcerer  re- 
sides. His  house  is  situated  in  a retired  part  of  the 
village,  and  is  surrounded  by  a thick  cactus  hedge. 


*74 


I ND O-CHIN A AND  CHINA. 


4 


There  is  only  one  way  by  which  this  curious  retreat 
can  be  entered,  and  that  is  by  ascending  a tree  which 
bends  over  the  hedge,  then  walking  along  a branch, 
and  dropping  from  it  to  the  doorway  of  the  hut. 
When  we  have  got  inside  we  find  the  doctor,  sooth- 
sayer, and  magician,  bent  over  a volume.  Strewn  on 
a rough  deal  table  before  him  are  the  herbs  by  means 
of  which  he  works  some  of  his  potent  spells.  One  herb 
there  is  in  frequent  demand,  and  is  a love-philter ; and 
this,  when  used  by  some  ardent  but  disappointed  swain, 
must  be  reduced  to  a powder,  and  applied  to  the  end 
of  a cigarette  which  he  presents  to  the  unsuspecting 
but  fickle  fair  one.  When  the  first  few  whiffs  of  the 
enchanted  vapour  have  been  puffed  through  her 
nostrils,  she  loses  her  heart  to  its  assailant,  and  is 
conquered.  The  posture  of  profound  study  assumed 
by  the  magician  is  altered  at  intervals,  and  the  mys- 
terious medicine-man  at  last  reminds  us  that  he  is 
mortal  by  reaching  forth  his  hand  to  refresh  himself 
from  a bowl  of  sam-shu  (native  whiskey).  Now  he 
pauses  to  take  a whiff  of  his  pipe,  or  to  rivet  his  gaze 
upon  nothing  material,  while  he  ponders  over  the  most 
dangerous  symptoms  of  his  last  patient,  considering 
whether  in  the  event  of  his  succumbing  to  his  disease, 
or  his  physician’s  treatment,  the  friends  of  the  deceased 
will  be  able  to  pay  the  full  fee.  It  may  be  he  is  then 
interrupted  by  a fresh  patient  dropping  down  upon 
him  with  a broken  head,  or  heart,  the  victim  of  a 
quarrel  or  the  sufferer  from  disappointed  love.  But 
the  branch  of  his  profession  on  which  he  mainly  de- 
pends to  fill  his  cash-box  is  the  exorcism  of  the  devils, 
which  find  a home  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen, 
When  a poor  man  is  troubled  with  a malignant  spirit, 


SORCERY. 


*75 


it  can  be  got  rid  of  for  about  a dollar ; while,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  the  patient  be  a man  of  property,  the 
demon  is  certain  to  prove  refractory,  and  to  require  at 
least  sixteen  or  twenty  dollars’  worth  of  spells  to  bring 
about  his  ultimate  expulsion.  When  called  to  a 
patient’s  bed-side,  the  doctor  begins  his  operations  by 
bleeding — not  the  sick  man,  however,  but  himself. 
Into  his  own  cheeks  he  first  fixes  two  small  skewers 
having  lighted  candles  attached  to  their  ends  ; then 
bending  over  the  bed,  he  recites  the  praises  of  the 
good  spirit,  Ch&u-xuong,  and  solicits  its  aid.  Should 
this  exorcism  fail,  he  calls  in  his  attendant  who  does 
the  drudgery,  stretches  out  the  lad’s  right  arm,  and  in 
his  hand  next  places  an  idol,  which  is  supposed  to 
create  involuntary  motion  in  the  extended  arm.  After 
the  first  hour  or  so,  the  involuntary  motion  resolves 
itself  into  one  that  takes  the  nearest  bowl  of  sam-shu 
provided  for  the  idol  deity,  who,  on  such  occasions, 
has  an  intense  thirst,  producing  strangely  enough,  a 
variety  of  complex  and  involuntary  motions  in  the 
limbs  of  the  assistant  who  supports  him.  The  natives 
attribute  all  this  to  a kind  of  animal  magnetism,  not 
unknown  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  Should  the 
treatment  described  be  unsuccessful,  the  physician, 
priest,  and  sorcerer  is  supposed  to  sleep  on  thorns, 
walk  through  fire,  drink  boiling  resin,  and  accomplish 
a variety  of  feats,  wherein  the  only  visible  spiritual 
agent  is  sam-shu.  Another  source  of  income  to  this 
mysterious  quack  is  derived  from  the  ‘ Plaine  des 
Tombeaux,’  or  ‘ Dong-tap-trau,’  where  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  the  Cochin  Chinese  lie  buried.  He  has 
simply  to  declare  to  some  afflicted  family  that  the 
cause  of  their  affliction  is  the  unfortunate  position  of 


176 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  body  of  a deceased  kinsman  in  relation  to  the 
terrestrial  dragon ; he  will  then  be  engaged  by  the 
suffering  survivors  to  remove  the  body  to  a more 
lucky  site. 

The  Cochin  Chinese,  like  the  Chinese,  have  many 
superstitions  connected  with  the  burial  of  the  dead ; 
one  of  these  accounts  for  the  uniform  direction  of  the 
graves  in  Dong-tap-trau,  and  another  for  their  general 
structure.  As  in  China,  the  dragon  is  frequently  seen 
sculptured  on  their  tombs.  When  death  takes  place 
in  a family,  this  sorcerer  or  master  of  the  mysteries  of 
‘ F eng-shui  ’ is  called  in  to  superintend  the  burial  of 
one  who,  it  may  be,  has  been  a victim  of  his  quackery  ; 
and,  as  a matter  of  business,  he  is  expected  to  dispose 
of  the  corpse  in  such  a way  that  the  spirit  in  its  new 
state  will  aid  the  fortunes  of  the  house.  He  therefore 
proceeds  to  Dong-tap-trau,  with  a Chinese  compass  in 
the  one  hand,  and  an  idol  in  the  other.  His  first  care 
is  to  find  the  position  of  the  head  of  the  terrestrial 
dragon,  in  order  that  he  may  rest  the  head  of  the  body 
upon  it.  He  then  carefully  takes  the  bearings  of  the 
stream  that  flows  through  the  plain,  so  that  the  body 
may  be  placed  with  its  feet  towards  the  source.  Were 
it  placed  with  its  head  towards  the  source,  it  is  be- 
lieved that  the  spirit  would  be  eternally  engaged  in 
striving  to  make  way  against  the  current,  and  thus 
suffer,  through  the  neglect  of  surviving  relations,  the 
torments  of  a perpetual  watery  hell. 

The  Cochin  Chinese  gentleman,  like  his  prototype 
among  other  and  more  enlightened  nations,  generally 
exhibits  in  his  physique  and  manners  the  evidences  of 
superior  breeding.  When  nature  has  had  fair  play,  he  is 
taller  and  more  erect  than  the  average  specimens  of  his 


PETRUSKI. 


‘77 


countrymen  of  the  humbler  orders,  while  they  are 
infinitely  his  superior  in  muscular  development.  He 
has  never  done  a day’s  work  in  his  life.  His  hands 
are  small,  well  formed,  and  soft  like  a woman’s,  while, 
as  an  indication  of  their  utter  uselessness,  the  nails  of 
his  third  and  little  fingers  are  permitted  to  grow,  or 
are  cultivated,  until  they  rival  vulture’s  claws.  Some 
of  his  actions,  too,  might  be  aptly  compared  to  those 
of  the  king  of  birds.  If  he  be  a government  official, 
he  is  frequently  severe  in  the  treatment  of  subordinates  ; 
for  it  is  he,  together  with  his  chief,  who  are  responsible 
for  their  behaviour.  In  consequence  of  this  system, 
clannish  outbreaks  are  less  frequent  in  French  Cochin 
China  than  among  the  Chinese  of  Singapore  and 
Penang.  The  life  he  leads  is  an  indolent  one ; when 
at  home,  he  lolls  on  a couch  or  chair,  surrounded  by 
half-a-dozen  attendants,  one  probably  hunting  for 
insects  in  the  hair  of  his  head,  another  fanning  him  ; 
while  a third,  who  watches  the  inanimate  face  of  his 
lord,  anticipates  a wish,  lights  a pipe  or  cheroot,  and 
quietly  places  it  between  his  master’s  lips.  Should  a 
friend  drop  in  for  a chat,  he  fills  his  mouth  with  betel- 
nut  and  seri,  as  a polite  intimation  that  anything  like 
an  animated  conversation  is  not  to  be  thought  of,  and 
only  suited  for  the  vulgar.  The  friend  is  then  invited 
to  do  likewise ; and  when  both  have  the  nut  sufficiently 
chewed,  gurgling  growls,  emitted  through  the  plash  of 
mastication,  are  interchanged,  intelligible  only  to  their 
own  highly-tuned  ears.  A notable  exception  to  the 
above  type  of  native  gentleman  was  Monsieur  Pe- 
truski,  a Cochin  Chinese  Christian,  occupying  the  post 
of  professor  of  his  own  language  in  the  College  des 
Interpretes  of  Saigon.  He  had  been  educated  in  a 


t78 


INDO- CHINA  ANN  CHINA. 


Roman  Catholic  college  at  Penang,  and  I shall  never 
forget  my  surprise  when  first  introduced  to  him.  He 
addressed  me  in  perfect  English,  with  just  a slight 
French  accent,  while  in  French  he  could  converse  with 
the  same  purity  and  ease.  He  was  equally  at  home, 
I believe,  when  he  spoke,  or  wrote  in  Spanish,  Portu- 
guese, or  Italian  ; and  it  was  to  his  scholarly  knowledge 
of  Oriental  tongues  that  he  owed  the  distinguished 
position  which  he  filled.  On  one  occasion  I visited 
his  study,  and  I found  him  engaged  on  a work  which 
had  cost  him  years  of  labour — ‘ A Comparative  Ana- 
lysis of  the  Languages  of  the  World.’  He  was  sur- 
rounded by  a collection  of  rare  and  valuable  books, 
some  of  which  he  had  gathered  when  travelling  in 
Europe  ; others — Sanscrit,  Pali,  Siamese,  and  Chinese— 
he  had  obtained  in  various  parts  of  the  East.  During  the 
evening  one  of  the  Cholon  missionaries  joined  us,  and 
when  I left  he  had  engaged  Petruski  in  a theological 
discussion  in  Latin.  He  is  the  author  of  a number  of 
works ; among  others,  an  Annamite  Grammar,  which 
opens  by  tracing  the  affinity  between  the  most  ancient 
symbolical  characters  and  those  of  the  modern  written 
language  of  Annam. 


HONGKONG. 


179 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Hongkong — Description  of  the  Island — The  City  of  Victoria — Its  pre- 
sent Condition — Its  Foreign  and  Native  Population-  The  Market- 
place— Hongkong  Artists — Grog-shops — Tai-ping-shan — Expense  of 
Living — A Strange  Adventurer— A Mormon  Missionary. 

After  leaving  Cochin  China  I spent  a short  time  in 
Singapore,  and  thence  took  voyage  to  the  British 
colony  of  Hongkong.  Hongkong  was  the  first 
island  I visited  in  Chinese  waters,  and  it  was  there  that 
I obtained  my  earliest  impressions  of  the  Chinese  on 
their  native  soil,  and  formed  the  determination,  which  I 
afterwards  carried  out,  of  making  myself  acquainted 
with  the  manners  and  customs,  and  the  wide-spread 
industries,  of  this  ancient  people  in  various  provinces 
of  their  land. 

Hongkong,  with  its  mixed  population,  its  British 
rule  and  institutions,  its  noble  European  edifices,  and 
Chinese  streets,  its  Christian  churches,  and  Buddhist 
temples,  stands  alone,  on  the  verge  of  the  great  continent 
of  Eastern  Asia.  This  spot,  moored  to  our  little  island 
by  an  electric  cable  that  sweeps  half  round  the  globe, 
rises  like  a political  beacon  out  of  the  China  seas,  and 
has  by  no  means  been  without  its  influence  in  prevent- 
ing the  Tartar  dynasty  from  foundering,  in  maintaining 
peace,  and  in  casting  the  light  of  a higher  civilization 
over  some  dark  corners  of  the  Flowery  Land. 


i8o 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


We  may  justly  be  proud  of  the  policy  which 
planted  the  British  flag  on  this  desolate  island,  and 
constituted  it  a Crown  colony  in  1843.  A like  praise- 
worthy enterprise  since  those  days  has  built  a splendid 
city  out  of  its  granite  rocks,  cleared  the  surrounding 
seas  of  piratical  hordes,  and  crowded  the  spacious 
harbour  with  a merchant  fleet  of  all  nationalities  ; and 
yet,  in  some  respects,  the  change  is  a disappointing 
one.  Our  liberal  administration,  and  the  freedom,  and 
protection  afforded  by  our  laws,  have  rendered  the 
place  an  asylum  for  the  scum  of  Chinese  cities  and  for 
ruffians  too  poor,  or  actually  too  depraved,  to  be  able 
to  purchase  immunity  from  the  penalties  of  crime  by 
entering  the  Buddhist  cloisters  of  their  own  land. 
Happily  some  of  these  mauvais  sujets , finding  a 
wider  scope  for  honest  energy,  become  respectable 
citizens,  but  the  bulk  of  them  are  either  supported  in 
our  prisons,  or  else  prey  upon  the  European  and 
native  community. 

Although  the  geographical  position  of  the  island 
is  well  known,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  give 
some  account  of  its  general  appearance  before  we  dis- 
embark. On  the  average  it  is  about  ten  miles  in  length 
and  four  miles  broad.  A central  rocky  spine  runs  from 
east  to  west,  rising  in  a series  of  jagged  peaks,  whose 
greatest  elevation  is  1,900  feet,  and  falling  away 
towards  the  shore  in  a multitude  of  low  hills,  or  bold 
crags.  It  is  no  longer  the  barren  place  of  thirty 
years  ago.  There  are  wood-covered  heights  and  grassy 
slopes,  gardens  in  the  valleys,  and  picturesque  fisher 
villages  nestling  beneath  the  shade  of  umbrageous  trees ; 
while  on  the  north,  the  city  of  Victoria  rears  its  granite 
buildings,  like  the  side  of  a richly-sculptured  pyramid, 


HONKONG. 


i Si 


on  the  terraced  cliffs  beyond  Victoria  Peak.  Below  the 
town  the  shore  curves  round  towards  the  mainland  of 
British  Kowloon,  where  a high  ridge  of  hills  encloses 
one  of  the  finest  harbours  in  theworld,  approached  from 
the  east  by  the  Ly-ee-moon  Pass,  and  entered  through 
the  Lama  passage  on  the  west,  The  view  of  Victoria 
from  Kellet’s  Island,  a small  fortified  rock  in  the  east  of 
the  harbour,  presents  a striking  scene,  more  especially 
during  the  rainy  season,  when  the  setting  sun  casts  a 
deep  purple  veil  over  the  town  and  over  the  peak, 


HONGKONG,  FROM  KELLET’S  ISLAND. 


which  lie  partly  in  shadow.  At  such  a time  I have 
seen  the  hill  capped  with  a wreath  of  pearly  cloud  with 
a fringe  of  rose-pink  or  gold,  and  the  edges  of  the  stone 
buildings  beneath  gilded  with  sunshine  looming  out 
through  the  deepening  gloom.  The  islands  in  the 
distance  seemed  like  ruby  clouds  resting  on  the 
horizon,  while  near  at  hand  a tangled  forest  of  masts 
and  spars  rose  up  darkly  against  the  face  of  the  sky. 
The  harbour  was  ablaze  with  light,  broken  by  the  sombre 
hulls  of  the  ships,  or  the  picturesque  forms  of  native 


182 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


craft,  with  their  huge  sails  spread  out  like  wings  to 
catch  the  evening  breeze. 

Let  us  suppose  that  we  land  from  a steamer  that 
has  just  come  to  her  anchorage.  It  is  early  morning, 
and  there  is  a great  tumult  on  deck.  Passengers 
hurry,  to  and  fro,  in  quest  of  baggage  that  had  been 
consigned  to  the  hold,  and  about  which  the  officers 
seem  to  know  nothing  and  care  less. 

Trunks  and  boxes  are  all  the  while  being  speedily 
got  up  and  arranged  on  deck,  arid  the  yells  and  impre- 
cations of  a hundred  boatmen  announce,  not  that  they 
have  come  from  the  lower  regions,  but  that  celestial 
labourers  are  discharging  cargo  in  their  own  way. 
Soon  the  ladder  is  let  down,  and  up  it  scramble  a 
number  of  petty  traders  arrayed  in  straw  hats,  long 
white  cotton,  or  silk  jackets  which  reach  to  the  knees, 
dark  blue  breeches,  white  cotton  leggings,  and  em- 
broidered shoes  with  thick  flat  soles.  To  your  sur- 
prise, one  accosts  you  familiarly  as  captain,  and  says, 
with  a look  of  recognition,  ‘Tsing!  Tsing!  too 
muchee  long  tim  my  no  hab  see  you  ! ’ This  is  the 
pidjin  English  for  ‘ I greet  you ! it  is  a long  time 
since  I have  seen  you  !’  It  is  no  use  telling  the  fellow 
he  is  mistaken,  as  you  have  only  arrived  for  the  first 
time  in  China.  He  will  reply,  ‘ Ah,  my  sabby  your 
broder,  you  alia  same  large  facie  mun ; he  blong 
my  good  flin ; ’ or,  ‘ Ah,  I understand,  I know  your 
brother,  you  have  the  same  broad  benevolent  face 
as  he  who  was  my  friend.’ 

They  have  a notion,  some  of  them,  that  England 
is  a very  small  outside  settlement  on  the  borders  of 
the  Chinese  Empire,  and  that  we  Englishmen  all  know 
each  other,  or  are  in  some  way  akin.  Hence  they 


LANDING  AT  HONKONG. 


183 


think  they  cannot  go  far  wrong  in  asserting  that  you  are 
some  member  of  the  family.  These  men  are  floating 
tailors,  shoemakers,  jewellers,  washermen,  artists,  and 
curio-dealers ; but  we  will  have  a better  look  at 
them  ashore.  They  are  certainly  very  enterprising, 
and  there  is  no  end  of  competition  among  them. 
Others,  a trifle  more  enlightened,  imagine  that  Hong- 
kong represents  our  greatest  possession,  and  that  the 
bulk  of  our  people  are  merchants,  who  pass,  to  and  fro, 
in  ships  engaged  in  the  Chinese  trade.  We  go  ashore 
in  a native  boat,  which  is  the  floating  dwelling  of  an 
entire  family.  There  are,  in  Hongkong  alone,  more 
than  30,000  such  people  as  these,  who  make  their 
homes  in  their  boats,  and  earn  their  subsistence  by 
fishing  or  attending  upon  the  ships  in  harbour.  These 
folks  carefully  study  the  indications  of  the  weather, 
and  can  calculate  with  great  shrewdness  the  near 
approach  of  a storm.  They  usually  verify  their  own 
observations  by  ascertaining  the  barometrical  changes 
from  foreign  ship-captains  in  port ; and  when  they 
have  settled  in  their  own  mind  that  a typhoon  is  at 
hand,  they  cross  the  harbour  en  masse,  and  shelter 
in  the  bays  of  Kowloon  until  the  fury  of  the  hurricane 
is  past.  The  men  in  the  boats  are  naked  to  the  waist, 
and  bronzed  with  constant  exposure  ; but  the  women 
are  decently  clothed,  pretty,  and  attractive-looking. 
Some  of  them,  if  we  may  judge  by  their  pale  skins, 
their  finely-formed  features,  and  their  large  lustrous 
eyes,  are  not  of  purely  Chinese  blood.  We  have  just 
time  to  observe  that  the  Praya,  or  Bund,  is  faced 
with  a retaining  wall  composed  of  huge  blocks  of 
granite — which,  as  we  shall  see  by-and-by,  are  not  of 
sufficient  dimensions  or  weight  to  resist  the  violence 


184 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


of  a typhoon — when  we  are  landed  opposite  the 
Clock  Tower  at  Peddar’s  Wharf,  and  find  ourselves 
mobbed  and  jostled  by  a crowd  of  Chinese  coolies, 
who,  if  you  don’t  look  about,  will  tilt  you  into  a chair 
and  bear  you  off,  nolens  volens , to  the  nearest  hotel. 


A FAMILY  PARTY,  KOWLOON. 


These  sedans  take  the  place  of  our  flys,  and  are 
the  only  public  conveyances  in  the  town.  They  are 
licensed,  and  bear,  each  one,  a printed  tariff  of  charges, 
fixed  at  about  half  the  cost  of  London  cabs.  Each 
chair  will  hold  one  passenger.  It  is  made  of  bamboo, 


NATIVE  SEDANS. 


1S5 

roofed  over  with  oilcloth,  and  is  carried  on  two  long 
poles  that  rest  on  the  shoulders  of  the  bearers.  It  is 
by  no  means  a disagreeable  mode  of  travelling,  and 
affords,  at  the  same  time,  a good  opportunity  for  seeing 
the  streets.  If  of  a sensitive  temperament,  you  are 
apt  to  feel  compassion  for  the  men  who  bear  you 
through  the  hot  thoroughfares,  or  toil  up  the  hill  paths 
in  6rder  that,  without  an  effort  of  your  own,  you  may 
breathe  the  fragrance  or  enjoy  the  wonders  of  the 
Flower)’  Land.  These  sedans  are  .to  be  found  at 
ever)-  street  corner,  also  in  front  of  the  hotels  and 
public-houses.  The  bearers  make  it  their  constant 
study  to  find  out  the  habits  of  the  European  residents, 
so  that  a new-comer  only  requires  to  be  about  a week 
in  the  place,  and  it  is  ten  chances  to  one,  should  he  be 
dining  out,  and  hail  the  first  chair  to  take  him  home, 
the  chair-coolies,  without  a word  spoken  on  either 
side,  will  land  him  in  front  of  his  domicile.  Nay,  they 
have  learned  more ; they  already  know  something  of 
his  personal  character,  and  whether  they  ought  to  trust 
him  and  accept  the  paper  which  he  offers.  It  is 
customary,  in  most  transactions  with  the  Chinese,  to 
pay  them  with  an  order  on  the  schrofif,  or  Chinese 
cash-keeper  of  the  house  to  which  one  belongs,  while 
the  schroff,  in  honouring  these  cheques,  whenever  he 
has  the  opportunity,  will  discharge  the  debt  in  light 
dollars,  and  charge  full  weight  to  his  employer’s  account. 

This  is  the  first  sample  of  the  systematic  squeezing 
and  overreaching  process  which  is  the  keynote  of 
Chinese  society  over  the  whole  land.  The  system  is 
so  minute  in  its  ramifications,  that  it  is  quite  impossible 
for  the  European  merchant  who  employs  Chinese 
compradors  and  schroffs  to  place  a check  upon  it. 


i86 


1ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Besides  this,  the  value  of  the  dollar  in  copper  cash  is 
subject  to  constant  fluctuations.  To-day  it  maybe  i io 
copper  cash  ; but  should  the  cook,  house-boy,  or  coolie 
be  sent  to  market,  he  only  accounts  to  his  master  for 
ioo  cash  each  ; the  difference  in  exchange  he  pockets 
as  his  own  legitimate  squeeze.  We  are  now  in  Queen’s 
Road,  which  runs  east  and  west  through  the  town,  and 
to  the  right,  and  left,  a labyrinth  of  streets  conduct  us 
to  the  Praya,  or  to  the  upper  terraces  and  roads  cut 
along  the  lace  of  the  hill.  Every  available  spot  of 
ground  in  this  quarter  of  Hongkong  is  taken  up  with 
shops,  stores,  offices,  and  banks.  The  HongkongClub 
and  Hotel  are  stone-built  edifices,  whose  imposing  pro- 
portions would  not  disgrace  the  best  part  of  London  ; 
and  as  for  the  shops  and  their  array  of  valuable  con- 
tents, Falconer  the  jeweller’s,  which  is  but  a trifle  more 
showy  than  the  rest,  looks  like  an  establishment  in 
the  heart  of  Bond  Street.  The  Chinese,  on  their  part, 
vie  with  each  other  in  the  display  of  costly  wares, 
Canton  silks,  carved  ivory,  jewellery,  porcelain  and 
paintings.  Entering  ‘ Sun-Sing’s,’  a Cantonese  shop,  we 
are  welcomed  by  the  proprietor  himself,  a Kwangtung 
gentleman  speaking  English.  His  attire  is  a jacket  of 
Shantung  silk,  dark  crape  breeches,  white  leggings  and 
embroidered  shoes,  and  he  displays  all  the  pondorosity 
and  ease  of  a prosperous  Chinaman.  His  assistants 
are  dressed  with  equal  care,  and  stand  behind  ebony 
counters  and  glass  cases — the  latter  of  spotless  polish, 
and  filled  with  curiosities,  ancient  and  modern,  from 
Canton.  One  side  of  the  shop  is  occupied  with  rolls  of 
choice  silks,  and  samples  of  grass  matting,  all  labelled 
and  priced.  The  floor  above  is  taken  up  with  a cleverly 
arranged  assortment  of  ancient  bronzes,  porcelain  and 


THE  MARKET-PLACE. 


187 


ebony  furniture  and  lackered  ware.  We  invest  in  an 
ivory  fan,  and  Sun-Sing  designs  and  engraves  on  it  a 
pretty  English  monogram.  This  shopkeeper,  really 
a fine  specimen  of  his  race,  much  respected  by  the 
European  community,  and  scrupulously  fair  in  his 
dealings,  will  furnish  one  with  the  cheapest  toy  in 
his  stock  with  as  great  politeness,  and  apparent  satis- 
faction, as  if  receiving  an  order  for  a shipload  of  em- 
broidered silks. 

Crossing  the  street  we  enter  the  market-place,  but 
there  the  chief  business  of  the  day  was  concluded  by 
about  seven  in  the  morning.  Here  the  avenues  are 
rendered  picturesque  by  painted  and  gilded  signboards 
inscribed  with  characters,  Chinese  or  English,  though 
the  dealers  are  all  of  them  Chinamen.  Thus  ‘ Ah-Yet  ’ 
‘ Sam-Ching,’  ‘Canton  Tom,’  and  ‘Cheap  Jack,’  an- 
nounce that  they  are  prepared,  as  ships’  compradors,  to 
supply  poultry,  beef,  vegetables,  and  groceries  of  the 
best  quality,  at  the  lowest  rates,  and  solicit  a trial,  or  at 
least  an  inspection  of  their  stalls.  Such  men  keep 
monthly  market-books  for  their  customers,  and  these, 
with  each  item  supplied  and  its  price  jotted  down,  are 
settled  at  the  end  of  each  month.  Apart  from  the 
well-filled  shops  of  these  useful  members  of  society, 
there  are  a great  variety  of  stalls  which  supply  special 
commodities  ; preserved  European  provisions,  for 
example — fruit,  fish,  and  so  forth.  Perhaps  the  most 
interesting  of  them  is  the  fishmonger’s.  This  establish- 
ment consists  of  an  arrangement  of  tanks,  or  aquariums, 
filled  with  clear  running  water,  and  teeming  with  living 
sea  or  river  fish,  for  the  most  part  reared  in  the  Canton 
fish-breeding  ponds,  and  brought  to  market  in  water- 
boats.  The  purchaser  stands  over  the  tank,  selects 


i88 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


some  finny  occupant  which  takes  his  fancy,  and  this  is 
immediately  caught  and  supplied  to  him.  I have  never 
seen  any  of  these  fresh-water  fish  in  Europe  ; they  revel 
in  the  most  beautiful  and  varied  colours,  blue,  green, 
brown,  red,  yellow,  mottled,  striped  or  spotted  ; and  there 
are  others  plain  and  uniform  in  tint,  though  no  less  curious 
in  form.  Then,  at  the  butcher’s,  there  are  sundry  deli- 
cacies to  be  met  with  unknown  to  European  palates, 
but  which  the  natives  delight  in  ; rats  strung  up  by 
the  tails,  temptingly  plump,  and  festoons  of  living  frogs 
fattened  for  the  epicure.  Some  say  that  here  and  there 
we  maysee  small  legs,  and  ribs,  undoubtedly  canine,  but 
of  this  I am  by  no  means  certain.  I have,  indeed,  in  cities 
purely  Chinese,  seen  dog’s  flesh  soldfor  food ; the  practice, 
however,  is  not  a common  one.  As  a rule,  the  Chinese 
are  not  very  particular  as  to  the  kind  of  food  they  eat ; 
but  they  are  cleanly  in  their  modes  of  preparing  it,  and 
we  might  well  learn  some  valuable  lessons  from  them 
in  this  branch  of  domestic  economy.  Thus  they  are 
skilled  in  making  very  palatable  and  nutritious  dishes 
out  of  odds  and  ends,  and  are  far  less  wasteful  and 
extravagant  in  the  use  of  their  food  than  we  are. 

A number  of  our  best  European  vegetables  are 
sold  in  the  Hongkong  market ; beef  and  mutton, 
fowls,  eggs,  fish  and  game,  are  also  to  be  procured  at 
prices  which  seldom  exceed  what  we  pay  for  the  same 
commodities  at  home.  Besides  all  this,  there  are 
about  fifty  different  kinds  of  fruit,  nearly  the  half  of 
them  indigenous,  and  peculiar  to  China.  Retracing 
our  steps  to  Queen’s  Road,  we  pause  before  a display  of 
huge  signboards,  each  one  glowing  in  bold  Roman 
letters  with  the  style  and  title  of  some  Chinese  artist. 
The  first  we  come  to  is  that  of  Afong,  photographer ; 


CHINESE  PHOTOGRAPHERS.  189 

to  this  succeeds  Chin-Sing,  portrait  painter.  Then 
follows  Ating ; and  many  others  make  up  the  list  of 
the  painters  and  photographers  of  Hongkong.  Afong 
keeps  a Portuguese  assistant  to  wait  upon  Europeans. 
He  himself  is  a little,  plump,  good-natured  son  of  Han, 
a man  of  cultivated  taste,  and  imbued  with  a wonderful 
appreciation  of  art.  Judging  from  his  portfolios  of 
photographs,  he  must  be  an  ardent  admirer  of  the 
beautiful  in  nature  ; for  some  of  his  pictures,  besides 
being  extremely  well  executed,  are  remarkable  for  their 
artistic^ choice  of  position.  In  this  respect  he  offers 
the  only  exception  to  all  the  native  photographers  I 
have  come  across  during  my  travels  in  China.  He 
shows  not  a single  specimen  of  his  work  at  his 
doorway,  whereas  his  neighbour  Ating  displays  a 
glass  case  containing  a score  of  the  most  hideous 
caricatures  of  the  human  face  that  it  is  possible  for  the 
camera  obscura  to  produce.  Ascending  a narrow  stair- 
case we  reach  the  showroom  of  this  celestial  artist ; 
and  there,  in  another  case  of  samples,  we  find  represen- 
tations of  men  and  women,  some  looking  as  if  they 
had  been  tossed  against  a wall  and  caught  in  a 
moment  of  intense  excitement  and  alarm  ; others  with 
their  heads  to  all  appearance  spiked  on  the  iron  rest ; 
while,  as  far  as  the  natives  were  concerned,  the 
majority  wore  the  Buddhistic  expression  of  stolid  in- 
difference, and  were  seated  all  of  them  full  front,  with 
limbs  forming  a series  of  equal  angles  to  the  right  and 
left.  A Chinaman  will  not  suffer  himself — if  he  can 
avoid  it — to  be  posed  so  as  to  produce  a profile  or 
three-quarter  face,  his  reason  being  that  the  portrait 
must  show  him  to  be  possessed  of  two  eyes  and  two 
ears,  and  that  his  round  face  is  perfect  as  the  full  moon. 


190 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


The  same  careful  observance  of  symmetry  is  carried 
out  in  the  entire  pose  of  the  figure.  The  face,  too, 
must  be  as  nearly  as  possible  devoid  of  shadow,  or  if 
there  be  any  shadow  at  all,  it  must  be  equal  on  both 
sides.  Shadow,  they  say,  should  not  exist ; it  is  an 
accident  of  nature  ; it  does  not  represent  any  feature  ol 
the  face,  and  therefore  should  not  be  pourtrayed ; and  yet 
they  all  of  them  carry  fans  in  order  to  secure  that  very 
shade,  so  essential  to  existence  in  the  South  of  China, 
and  the  element — though  they  fail  to  recognise  it  as 
such — to  which,  in  conjunction  with  light,  they  are  in- 
debted for  the  visible  appearance  of  all  things  animate 
and  inanimate  which  make  up  the  Chinese  Empire. 

The  walls  of  Ating’s  studio  are  adorned  with 
paintings  in  oil,  and  at  one  extremity  of  the  apartment 
a number  of  artists  are  at  work  producing  large 
coloured  pictures  from  small  imperfect  photographs. 
The  proprietor  has  an  assistant,  whose  business  it  is 
to  scour  the  ships  in  port  in  search  of  patrons  among 
the  foreign  crews.  Jack,  desirous  of  carrying  home  a 
souvenir  of  his  visit  to  the  wonderful  land  of  pigtails 
and  tea,  supplies  a small  photograph  of  Poll,  Dolly,  or 
Susan,  and  orders  a large  copy  to  be  executed  in  oils. 
The  whole  is  to  be  finished,  framed  and  delivered 
within  two  days,  and  is  not  to  exceed  the  contract 
price  of  four  dollars,  or  about  one  pound  sterling  in 
our  own  money.  The  work  in  this  painting-shop,  like 
many  things  Chinese,  is  so  divided  as  to  afford  the 
maximum  of  profit  for  the  minimum  of  labour.  Thus 
there  is  one  artist  who  sketches,  another  who  paints 
the  human  face,  a third  who  does  the  hands,  and  a 
fourth  who  fills  in  the  costume  and  accessories.  Polly 
is  placed  upon  the  celestial  limner’s  easel — an  honour, 


CHINESE  ARTISTS. 


i9r 

poor  girl,  she  little  dreamt  of — and  is  then  covered 
with  a glass  bearing  the  lines  and  squares  which  solve 
the  problem  of  proportion  in  the  enlarged  work.  A 
strange  being  the  artist  looks  ; he  has  just  roused  him- 
self from  a long  sleep,  and  his  clothes  are  redolent  of 
the  fumes  of  opium.  He  peers  through  his  huge 
spectacles  into  poor  Polly’s  eyes,  and  measures  out  her 
fair  proportions  as  he  transfers  them  to  his  canvas. 
Then  she  is  passed  from  hand  to  hand  until,  at  last, 
every  detail  of  her  features,  and  dress,  has  been  re- 
produced on  the  canvas  with  a pre- Raphael ite  exacti- 
tude, and  a glow  of  colour  added  to  the  whole  which  far 
surpasses  nature.  But  let  us  examine  the  finished  work. 
The  dress  is  sky-blue  ! flounced  with  green.  Chains  of 
the  brightest  gold  adorn  the  neck.  , There  are  brace- 
lets on  the  arms,  and  rings  on  the  fingers  gleaming 
with  gems.  The  hair  is  pitchy  black,  the  skin  pearly 
white,  the  cheeks  of  vermilion,  and  the  lips  of  carmine. 
As  for  the  dress,  it  shows  neither  spot  nor  wrinkle, 
and  is  as  taut,  Jack  will  say,  as  the  carved  robes  of  a 
figure-head.  On  a very  square  table  by  the  side  of 
this  brilliant  beauty  stands  a vase,  filled  with  flowers 
that  glow  with  all  the  brilliant  hues  of  native  art. 

Surely  all  this  will  please  the  lover,  and  indeed  it 
does.  John  Chinaman,  he  declares,  made  more  of  the 
lass  than  even  he  thought  possible,  and  there  is  a 
greater  show  of  colour  within  the  frame  than  he  ever 
beheld  before.  He  proudly  hangs  the  picture  above 
his  bunk  ; but  still,  at  times,  he  has  his  grave  misgivings 
about  the  small  hands  and  feet,  and  about  therainbow- 
hued  sailor’s  goddess  into  which  Poll  has  been  trans- 
formed. 

We  will  now  descend  to  the  open  street  from 

15 


192 


1ND O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Ating’s  gallery  of  horrors.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
way  there  are  numerous  ivory-miniature-painters. 
These  men  also  devote  themselves  to  copying  photo- 
graphs, and  their  work  is  decidedly  better  than  when 
the  copies  are  enlarged,  as  in  the  latter  the  defects  of 
the  original  are  frequently  exaggerated.  It  is,  how- 
ever, only  on  rare  occasions  that  the  miniature-painters 
produce  fairly  good  work.  Their  paintings  are  always 
highly  finished  ; but  during  my  residence  in  the  colony 
I fell  in  with  one  man  only  who,  from  his  knowledge 
of  art,  could  venture  with  any  success  beyond  a mere 
servile  imitation  of  a photograph.  He  was  a sort  of 
genius  in  his  way,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a most 
inveterate  opium-smoker.  When  I first  knew  him  he 
was  a good-looking,  dandy,  in  full  work  as  a miniature- 
painter,  fond  of  good  company  and  high  living,  a 
frequenter  of  the  music-halls  and  gambling  clubs  of 
Victoria.  He  used  to  smoke  opium  in  moderation  at 
first,  but  it  gained  upon  him  to  such  an  extent,  that 
when  the  hour  for  the  pipe  came  on,  no  matter  where 
he  was,  or  how  occupied,  he  had  to  rush  off  and 
abandon  himself  to  the  use  of  the  drug  which  was 
bringing  him  fast  to  his  grave.  He  used  to  work  at  my 
rooms,  and  when  the  moment  arrived  (never  having  a 
cent  of  his  own),  and  he  could  hold  out  no  longer, 
he  would  demand  an  advance  of  money  with  the  fierce- 
ness of  a man  suffering  the  death-pangs  of  starvation. 

Passing  westward  along  Queen's  Road,  we  come 
upon  a quarter  of  the  town  much  frequented  by 
seamen  of  all  nations.  Here  spirits  are  sold  in  nearly 
every  second  shop,  and  bands  of  common  sailors  may 
be  seen  spending  their  time  and  money  on  question- 
able drink  in  more  questionable  company,  roaring  out 


GROG-SHOPS. 


i93 


some  rough  sea-song  in  drunken  chorus,  or  dancing  to 
the  time  of  a drum  and  flute,  accordion  or  cornopean. 

The  keepers  of  these  grog-shops  might  be  mis- 
taken for  respectable  members  of  society  were  it  not 
for  their  bull-dog,  battered,  and  damaged  countenances, 
which  betray  sundry  evidences  of  recent  bruises  and 
black  eyes,  received  in  taking  the  change  out  of  their 
customers.  The  piles  of  Chinese  houses  which  rise 
above  this  locality  embrace  Tai-Ping-Shan,  or  the  hill 
of  great  peace.  The  name  is  a fine  one,  but  a fine 
name  will  not  hide  the  sins  of  the  place.  Tai-Ping- 
Shan  is  inhabited,  for  the  most  part,  by  Chinamen  ; 
but  men  are  found  there  belonging  to  all  the  nations 
of  the  East.  As  for  women,  these  are  principally 
Chinese  ; they  are  numerous  enough,  but  of  the  lowest 
type.  There  are  strange  hotels  in  this  quarter,  be- 
sides music-halls  and  lodging-houses,  the  haunts  of 
vagabonds  well  known  to  the  police.  I once  accom- 
panied an  inspector  of  police  on  one  of  his  periodical 
rounds  through  this  region  of  darkness,  and  I should 
not  like  to  describe  everything  I saw  there  ; but  it 
proved  that  all  which  has  been  alleged  of  the  im- 
morality of  the  lower  orders  of  the  Chinese  is  perfectly 
true ; while,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  more  respect- 
able part  of  the  community,  had  there  many  places  of 
rational  amusement,  with  which,  in  so  far  as  I could 
judge,  one  could  find  no  fault  whatever.  One  great 
difficulty  of  our  government  in  this  new  colony  has 
been  how  most  effectually  to  curb  the  crime  and  vice 
common  to  all  great  seaport  towns,  and  avert  its  con- 
sequences. The  policy  adopted  has  been  to  licence, 
and  bring  within  direct  government  supervision,  what- 
ever they  have  found  themselves  powerless  to  suppress  ; 


1 94 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  the  result,  so  far  as  statistics  show,  has  proved 
the  wisdom  of  the  system.  From  a few  particulars 
which  I have  gathered  on  the  spot,  but  which  it  would 
serve  no  good  end  to  publish  here,  I found  no  difficulty 
in  estimating  the  magnitude  and  gravity  of  the  question, 
how  best  to  bring  under  control  an  evil  which  has 
always  hitherto  appeared  inevitable. 

Among  the  largest  music-halls  there  was  one  which 
had  been  but  recently  erected,  and  it  may  serve  as  a 
type  of  the  more  attractive  sorts  in  a list  of  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  similar  establishments.  The  hall 
I speak  of  stands  at  the  end  of  Holywood  Road,  and 
is  extensively  decorated  externally  with  porcelain  floral 
ornaments.  At  the  entrance  we  find  an  altar  crowned 
with  votive  offerings,  and  dedicated  to  the  god  of 
pleasure,  whose  image  surmounts  the  shrine.  To  the 
right  and  left  of  this  hang  scrolls,  on  which  high 
moral  precepts  are  inscribed,  sadly  at  variance  with  the 
real  character  of  the  place.  Half-a-dozen  of  the  most 
fascinating  of  the  female  singers  are  seated  outside  the 
gate.  Their  robes  are  of  richly-embroidered  silk,  their 
faces  are  enamelled,  and  their  hair  bedecked  with 
perfumed  flowers,  and  dressed  in  some  cases  to  re- 
semble a teapot,  in  others  a bird  with  spread  wings, 
poised  upon  the  top  of  the  head.  On  the  ground- 
floor  all  the  available  space  is  taken  up  with  rows  of 
narrow  compartments,  each  one  furnished  apparently 
with  an  opium-couch,  and  all  the  paraphernalia  for  the 
use  of  the  drug.  Here  there  are  girls,  in  constant 
attendance,  some  ready  to  prepare  and  charge  the  bow! 
of  the  pipe  with  the  opium,  and  others  to  strum  upon 
the  lute  or  sing  sweet  melodies  to  waft  the  sleeper  off 
into  dreamland  under  the  strangely  fascinating  in- 


MUSIC  SALOONS. 


195 


fluences  which,  ere  long,  will  make  him  wholly  their 
slave.  On  the  first-Aoor,  which  is  reached  by  a narrow 
Aight  of  steps,  there  is  a deserted  music-hall,  showing 
traces  of  the  revel  of  the  preceding  night  in  the  faded 
garlands  which  still  festoon  its  carved  and  gilded  roof. 
There  were  two  more  stories  to  the  edifice,  partitioned 
off  both  of  them  in  the  same  way  as  the  ground-fioor. 

At  another  house  we  visited  we  found  a goodly 
company  in  the  music-saloon.  The  whole  interior  had 
been  freshly  decked  with  Aowers,  festooned  from  the 
ceiling,  or  suspended  in  baskets  made  cf  wattled 
twigs  ; while  mirrors,  paint,  gilding,  and  all  the  skill  of 
Kwangtung  art,  had  been  lavishly  bestowed  in  the 
more  permanent  wall-decorations.  At  a table  spread 
with  the  choicest  delicacies,  and  the  finest  fruits,  sat  a 
merry  throng  of  Chinamen — young,  middle-aged,  and 
old.  Hot  wine  in  burnished  pewter  pots  was  passing 
freely  round  the  board,  and  the  revellers  were  pledging 
each  other  in  small  cups  of  the  fuming  draught.  We 
had,  in  fact,  dropped  in  upon  a dinner-party,  where, 
under  the  infiuence  of  native  wine,  melon-seeds,  and 
pretty  women,  the  guests  were  engaged  in  a noisy,  but 
at  the  same  time,  friendly  contest,  in  the  art  of  versifi- 
cation. Behind  each  guest,  as  is  customary  at  such 
gatherings,  a young  girl  sat ; and  many  of  these  girls 
might  fairly  claim  to  be  called  handsome,  while  all  were 
prettily  dressed  in  the  most  fashionable  silks  of  Canton. 
Their  hair  was  wreathed  with  Aowers,  and  their  faces 
painted  until  they  resembled  their  native  porcelain 
ware.  An  old  Chinese  merchant  present,  whom  I 
knew,  informed  me  that  these  women  were  all  highly 
respectable.  That  might  be  the  case  ; at  any  rate,  he 
assured  me  that  they  were  not  unfrequently  carried  off 


196 


1ND0-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


by  the  visitors,  and  raised  to  the  rank  of  second  wives 
or  concubines. 

Music,  of  a high  Chinese  order,  was  being  performed 
in  the  four  corners  of  the  room  by  four  independent 
female  bands,  each  accompanying  the  shrill  piping  voice 
of  an  old  woman,  who  sang  the  adventures  of  an  ancient 
hero  of  romance,  a personage  famous  alike  for  his  un- 
scrupulous dealings,  and  for  his  ardent  and  amorous 
heart. 

During  my  residence  in  Hongkong  that  passion 
for  gambling  which  characterises  all  Chinese  com- 
munities got  the  credit,  probably  with  justice,  of  being 
at  the  root  of  much  of  the  crime  and  petty  larceny 
among  servants  and  subordinate  office  employes. 
The  police  were  found  incompetent  to  keep  the  popular 
vice  in  check,  and  as  a consequence  it  became  more 
and  more  in  fashion  throughout  the  island. 

At  last  the  authorities  determined  to  try  the  ex- 
periment of  licensing  gambling-houses,  and  instituted 
a gambling-farm,  in  order  to  bring  the  evil  under  the 
trictest  surveillance  and  control.  The  experiment 
was  a bold  one,  and  as  a.  matter  of  course  was 
received  in  many  quarters  with  violent  opposition.  So 
strongly  did  the  current  of  public  opinion  pronounce 
against  the  policy,  that  no  very  long  time  elapsed 
before  the  new  ordinance  was  suppressed. 

The  licensing  system,  during  its  short  career,  con- 
tributed about  14,000  dollars  a month  to  the  trea- 
sury; and  judging  from  local  government  statistics, 
materially  aided  in  the  suppression  of  crime.  It  was 
besides  supposed  to  maintain  a higher  moral  tone 
among  the  native  police,  who,  when  secret  gambling- 
houses  flourish,  are  seduced  continually  by  bribes  into 


GAMBLING. 


i97 


dereliction  of  duty  and  corruption.  One  of  the  first  prac- 
tical difficulties  in  carrying  out  the  newly  inaugurated 
plan  was  the  conscientious  scruples — which,  apparently, 
even  affected  the  promoters  of  the  measure — as  to  the 
application  of  a constantly  accumulating  fund  derived 
from  so  polluted  a source.  It  was  even  suggested  to 
drop  it  silently  into  the  sea,  and  be  done  with  it.  All  I 
would  say  is,  if  the  policy  of  sheltering  this  particular 
vice,  in  order  to  effect  diminution  of  crime  in  the  colony, 
was  sound,  the  proceeds  of  the  gambling-farm  might 
have  been  worthily  employed  in  rendering  the  police 
force  still  more  efficient,  and  in  lightening  the  general 
burden  of  taxation  borne  by  the  colonists.  But  the 
ordinance,  as  I have  already  stated,  was  suppresed 
probably  before  the  efficiency  of  such  a hazardous  and 
unpopular  experiment  could  be  thoroughly  put  to  the 
test,  as  a means  of  suppressing  crime.  The  Hongkong 
police  force  is  numerous  and  expensive,  and  its  reputed 
inefficiency  has  been  a subject  of  frequent  comment  in 
the  press  of  Victoria ; but  the  last  of  these  character- 
istics may  not  impossibly  be,  in  a very  considerable 
degree,  due  to  other  and  simpler  causes  than  the 
wiles  of  Chinese  gambling  parties.  The  constables 
were,  many  of  them,  Chinese  under  the  command  of 
European  inspectors,  who,  for  the  most  part,  knew 
nothing  of  the  language  and  habits  of  the  men  under 
their  charge.  One  section  of  the  force  was  made  up  of 
Indians,  who,  with  rare  exceptions,  were  alike  ignorant 
of  Chinese,  and  therefore  of  very  little  service  in 
detecting  crime ; while  some  of  them  were  sufficiently 
well  up  in  Chinese  manners  to  know  something  of  the 
security  and  dignified  silence  procurable  by  a judicious 
use  of  the  coin  of  the  realm. 


198 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Gambling  is  a luxury  in  which  all  Chinese  more  or 
less  indulge.  During  the  time  when  gambling-houses 
were  under  Government  supervision,  they  became  the 
open  resort  of  most  respectable-looking  Chinamen — 
men  whom  one  might  take  for  patterns  of  native 
virtue,  and  yet  who  must  needs  have  acquired  their 
secret  passion  for  this  vice  when  it  was  still  under  the 
ban  of  the  law.  It  took  me  by  surprise,  when  visiting 
a gaming-house,  to  find  one  or  two  Chinese  shopkeepers, 
otherwise  noted  for  eminent  respectability,  busily 
engrossed  at  the  table ; indeed  I should  hardly  have 
been  more  amazed  had  I beheld  an  elder  of  the  Scotch 
Kirk  cautiously  staking  his  savings  after  church  hours 
on  Sunday. 

These  establishments  were  well  worth  inspec- 
tion. As  you  approached  one  from  the  street,  you 
would  notice  an  European  seated  at  the  outer  door- 
way. This  individual  was  supposed  to  select  and 
admit  the  men  who  ought  to  gamble,  and  to  exclude 
those  whose  morals  were  of  greater  importance  to  the 
community  ; among  the  latter  were  included  domestic, 
and  office  servants.  He  must  have  been  endowed 
with  rare  powers  of  perception  to  be  able  to  deter- 
mine the  occupation  of  each  visitor  to  the  house  (it 
would  have  been  called  a hell  before  the  new  ordinance 
came  into  force,  but  now  it  was  a sort  of  heaven  with 
a gate-keeper  who  separated  the  wheat  from  the  chaff) 
for  tickets  could  afford  no  protection,  as  they  might  be 
passed  Jrom  hand  to  hand.  This  watchman  could 
also  test  for  himself  the  power  of  the  new  law  to 
suppress  bribery  and  corruption.  At  the  top  of  a 
narrow  wooden  staircase  we  found  an  apartment  lit  by 
a smoking  oil  lamp.  This  room  was  nearly  square, 


A CHINESE  GAMBLING-HOUSE. 


199 


and  the  ceiling  above  it  had  been  pierced  in  the  centre 
with  a large  square  opening  leading  to  the  next  floor, 
or  gallery.  Above  the  gallery  is  a contrivance  to 
accommodate  the  upper  ten,  some  of  whom  are  bending 
over  the  railing  and  looking  eagerly  down  upon  a long 
gambling  table  spread  before  us. 

One  would  scarcely,  at  first,  suppose  it,  but  we  were 
pressing  forward  for  a good  place  amongst  some  of  the 
most  desperate  ruffians  of  Hongkong.  But  let  me 
now  bring  you  to  the  spot  to  watch  the  game ; the 
stakes  are  being  made.  That  close-shaven,  smooth- 
visaged,  fat,  placid  Chinaman  on  the  right,  is  the 
banker ; see  how  orderly  is  his  array  of  coins  and  bank 
notes,  and  how  deftly  he  reckons  the  winnings  and 
interest  on  the  smallest  sums,  deducting  a seven  per 
cent,  commission  from  the  gains  of  every  transaction. 
Behind  him  is  his  assistant,  weighing  the  dollars,  broken 
silver,  or  jewellery  of  the  players.  Then  at  his  side  is 
the  book-keeper,  and  on  the  left  the  teller.  On  the 
centre  of  the  table  is  a square  pewter  slab  crossed 
with  diagonal  lines,  and  the  sections  thus  formed  bear 
the  numbers  one,  two,  three,  and  four  respectively. 
The  player  is  at  liberty  to  stake  on  any  of  these 
numbers,  when,  unless  he  stakes  on  two  numbers 
separately,  and  at  once,  he  will  have  three  to  one 
against  him,  plus  seven  per  cent,  on  his  winnings,  if  he 
succeeds.  Some  of  the  players  spend  the  entire  day 
in  the  house,  and  on  starting  open  an  account  with  the 
bank,  which  is  kept  carefully  posted  on  a pewter  slab 
before  them,  and  balanced  at  the  end  of  the  day.  All 
the  stakes  have  now  been  made,  including  those  dropped 
from  above,  in  a small  basket  attached  to  a cord.  The 
teller — sleek,  fat,  and  close-shaven,  like  his  confreres — 


200 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA . 


sits  there  conducting  the  vital  part  of  the  game  with  an 
air  of  stolid  indifference  ; a man  to  all  seeming,  of  the 
strictest  probity  and  honour,  and  yet,  if  report  be  true, 
he  knows  tricks  in  his  trade  which  defy  the  detection 
of  the  hundred  hawk-like  eyes  that  watch  his  every 
movement.  His  sleeves  are  short,  nearly  up  to  his 
armpits,  and  in  his  right  hand  he  wields  a single  thin 
ivory  rod.  Before  him  on  the  table  there  is  a pile  of 
polished  cash.  From  this  he  takes  up  a huge  handful 
of  coin,  places  it  on  a clear  space,  and  covers  it  with  a 
brass  cup.  When  all  the  stakes  are  made,  the  cup  is 
removed,  and  the  teller  proceeds,  with  the  extreme  end 
of  his  ivory  wand,  to  pick  out  the  cash  in  fours,  the 
remaining  number  being  that  which  wins.  Before  the 
pile  is  half  counted,  provided  there  are  no  split  coins 
or  trickery  in  the  game,  a habitual  player  can  always 
tell  with  puzzling  certainty  what  the  remainder  will  be, 
whether  one,  two,  three,  or  four,  and  it  is  at  this  stage 
of  the  game  that  we  observe  a striking  peculiarity  in 
Chinese  character.  There  are  no  passionate  exclama- 
tions, no  noisy  excitement,  no  outbursts  of  delight,  no 
deep  cursing  of  adverse  fate.  It  is  only  in  the  faces  of 
the  players  that  we  can  perceive  signs  of  emotion,  or  of 
the  sullen  desperate  determination  to  carry  on,  at  all 
hazards,  until  fortune  smiles  once  more,  or  leaves  them 
beggared  at  the  board. 

Gambling,  in  those  days,  was  not  entirely  con- 
fined to  the  licensed  houses.  It  was  still  carried  on 
secretly  in  clubs  and  private  abodes ; even  by  the 
coolies,  in  their  leisure  moments,  at  the  corners  of  the 
streets.  Dice,  too,  were  in  constant  demand  among 
petty  traders  and  hawkers  ; and  I have  seen  children 
form  a gambling-ring  round  some  byeway  vendor  of 


LOTTERIES. 


20  I 


sweets,  and  eagerly  stake  their  cash  in  the  attempt  to 
win  a double  share  of  his  condiments.  I have  found 
coolies,  too,  in  my  own  employment,  sit  down  delibe- 
rately and  gamble  away  their  next  month’s  wages,  till 
their  very  clothes  were  held  in  pawn  by  the  lucky 
winner. 

Lotteries  are  also  in  great  vogue  in  China  at  all 
times.  For  these  there  are  tickets  sold,  upon  which  a 
series  of  numbers  have  been  engrossed.  The  purchaser 
pays  his  cent  and  marks  ten  of  the  numbers — those 
which,  by  some  secret  process  of  his  own,  he  may  have 
fixed  on  as  the  lucky  set.  The  marked  ticket  is  then 
paid  in,  and  the  holder  receives  in  exchange  a duplicate 
ticket  marked  in  the  same  way.  On  the  day  of 
drawing  the  numbers  are  supposed  to  be  dealt  with  by 
a mystic  being,  who  dwells  perpetually  in  darkness. 
He  who  holds  three  of  the  winning  numbers  receives 
back  his  even  money,  and  he  who  holds  the  ten  numbers 
receives  six  thousand  times  his  stake.  Assuming  that 
the  whole  transaction  is  honestly  carried  through,  the 
banker  not  unfrequently  pockets  as  much  as  fifty  per 
cent,  as  his  profit  for  managing  the  lottery. 

Although  gambling  is  a common  Chinese  vice,  it 
does  not,  so  far  as  I am  aware,  meet  with  direct  recog- 
tion  from  the  Chinese  Government,  although  it  might 
be  made  to  contribute  largely  to  the  imperial  revenue. 

Following  Queen’s  Road  through  ‘ Wong-nei-chong,’ 
or  passing  along  the  Praya  to  the  east  of  Victoria,  we 
reach  the  shady  approach  which  leads  to  the  Happy 
Valley,  where  the  race-course  and  the  cemetery  are  to 
be  found.  This  European  burial-ground  lies  behind  the 
grand  stand,  where  all  the  gaiety  and  fashion  of  the 
island  assemble  annually  to  view  the  races,  which  have 


202 


IND 0-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


long  been  one  of  the  institutions  of  the  place.  The  turf- 
loving  residents  look  forward  to  the  race-meeting  from 
year  to  year  as  the  crowning  pleasure  of  the  whole 
twelvemonth,  making  up  to  them  for  all  the  heat  and 
hardships  of  a place  which  has  been  termed  the  grave 
of  Europeans.  Although,  strangely  enough,  but  a 
step  divides  the  living  from  the  dead  in  this  truly 
picturesque  valley,  the  island  itself  is  accounted  one  of 
the  healthiest  stations  on  the  coast  of  China.  The 
present  style  of  living  has  probably  something  to  do 
with  the  improved  health  of  the  community.  The 
houses  are  better  adapted  to  the  climate  than  they 
were  some  twenty  years  back.  The  sanitary  arrange- 
ments are  also  more  complete ; whereas,  when  first  the 
city  was  being  built,  vast  surfaces  of  decomposed 
granite  were  laid  bare  as  the  workmen  cut  into  the  face 
of  the  hill ; from  the  exposed  spots  noxious  miasmas 
were  exhaled,  and  to  them  are  attributed  those  maladies 
which  prevailed  so  fatally  at  that  time,  and  which 
proved  themselves  the  worst  enemies  our  troops  had  to 
contend  against  in  China.  Even  now,  whenever  the 
soil  has  to  be  opened  anew,  we  still  hear  cases  of  this 
Hongkong  fever  occurring  near  the  spot.  The 
Chinese  geomancers  attributed  the  prevalence  of  this 
disease  to  our  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  * Feng  Shui’ — 
literally  ‘ wind  and  water,’  but  denoting  something  like 
good  luck  brought  about  by  a knowledge  of  astrology 
and  geomancy — and  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they 
correctly  foretold  the  results  which  befel  the  colony 
as  soon  as  the  hill-sides  were  opened. 

Tree-planting  was  carried  on  vigorously  under 
Sir  Richard  Mac  Donnell’s  administration  ; and  this, 
while  it  adds  greatly  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the 


EUROPEANS  IN  HONGKONG. 


203 


island,  has  done  not  a little  to  promote  the  good 
health  of  its  inhabitants. 

Europeans  in  Hongkong  live  in  a very  expensive 
style ; much  more  expensively,  one  would  think,  than 
they  need  do,  when  we  consider  that  many  of  the 
necessaries  of  life  are  to  be  had  at  prices  very  little  in 
advance  of  our  market  rates  at  home. 

Beer  and  wine,  however,  and  the  countless  other 
little  luxuries  which  one  has  to  purchase  at  the  Euro- 
pean stores,  make  up  a startling  monthly  bill ; and, 
after  all,  the  dollar  which  would  be  four  shillings  and 
sixpence  in  London  is  equal  to  little  more  than  a 
shilling  in  Hongkong,  in  exchanging  it  for  such  com- 
modities as  are  brought  from  home.  The  newly- 
arrived  resident  may  furnish  his  dwelling  cheaply 
enough  by  buying  at  the  constantly  recurring  auction 
sales  of  the  householders  who  are  leaving  the  colony  ; or 
else  of  a Chinese  tradesman,  who  will  fit  up  his  house 
for  him  throughout  at  a comparatively  moderate  charge. 
But  then  servants  are  indispensable,  and  add  greatly 
to  the  expense  of  living.  The  following  is  a list  of 
those  required  for  an  ordinary  family,  where  there  are 
one  or  two  children  to  be  maintained  : — 

Monthly  Wages. 

Cook 10  dollars 

Two  chair-coolies 14  „ 

One  nurse  or  amah  . . . . . . 10  „ 

One  house-boy 8 „ 

One  house-coolie 7 „ 

$49 

This,  at  a low  rate  of  exchange,  is  equal  to  one  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds  a year  for  domestic  servants  alone. 
Then  all  the  washing  is  done  by  a Chinese  laundryman, 
whose  charge  is  the  same  as  we  pay  in  London.  As 
for  the  doctor,  he  will  make  a contract  to  attend  the 


204 


IND 0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


family  for  an  annual  retaining  fee,  say  forty  pounds,  or 
thereabouts,  and  no  end  of  medicine  has  to  be  bought 
at  prices  which,  if  need  be,  will  afford  your  medical 
adviser  a consideration  of  twenty-five  per  cent.  The 
doctor  is  not  supposed  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
dispensing  chemist  ; but,  nevertheless,  the  enormous 
quantity  of  drugs  ordered,  and  at  times  tossed  out  at 
the  window  by  the  patient,  leads  people  to  draw  con- 
clusions which  are  not  always  just.  Rent  would  be 
about  one  hundred  and  forty  pounds  a year  for  such  a 
house  as  may  be  obtained  in  London  for  sixty  ; and 
altogether,  the  expense  of  living  in  Hongkong  may 
be  fairly  set  down  at  something  more  than  double 
what  it  is  at  home. 

Strange  characters  are  not  rarely  to  be  met  with 
here ; men  who,  from  time  to  time,  turn  up  with 
wonderful  schemes  for  the  benefit  of  the  human  race, 
but  quite  unable  to  tell  you  how  their  projects  are  to 
be  carried  into  effect,  or  by  what  means  the  money 
is  to  be  provided.  Mr.  Gabriel  was  an  adventurer 
of  this  sort.  I knew  nothing  of  him,  and  had  never 
seen  him  before  the  night  on  which  he  came  to 
my  house  as  a stranger,  and  requested  permission  to 
bring  his  baggage  into  my  rooms  until  he  could  find 
some  suitable  lodgings  elsewhere.  This  I granted, 
and  about  an  hour  afterwards  he  returned,  saying  he 
had  not  succeeded,  and  that  he  would  feel  grateful  if  I 
would  allow  him  to  sleep  in  any  corner.  A couch  was 
prepared  for  him,  and  he  settled  himself  for  the  night, 
but  not  before  he  had  detailed  to  me  his  plans  for 
rendering  the  island  of  Borneo  one  vast  coffee-plan- 
tation, and  bringing  its  coffee-coloured  people  out  of 
the  darkness  of  savagedom  into  the  light  of  civilisation. 


A STRANGE  ADVENTURER. 


205 


Appearing  to  find  pleasure  in  my  society,  Gabriel  had 
remained  under  my  roof  for  ten  days,  when  I suggested 
to  him  that  Borneo  was  all  this  while  a howling 
wilderness,  and  its  inhabitants  still  preying  on  each 
other  for  the  want  of  schools  and  coffee.  He  had 
come  from  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  he  had  been 
a schoolmaster,  but  his  occupation  there  was  unre- 
munerative,  as  he  had  brought  no  money  with  him. 
At  length  he  persuaded  a ship  captain  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  afford  him  a free  and  comfortable  passage  to 
Singapore,  and  he  accordingly  left  for  that  port,  where 
he  found  out  some  of  my  friends,  and  got  them  to  help 
him  on  his  way  to  Borneo.  In  about  two  months 
Mr.  Gabriel  again  appeared  at  my  door  with  his  cotton 
umbrella  in  one  hand,  a hymn-book  in  the  other,  and 
a decidedly  crest-fallen  expression  in  his  face.  He 
had  landed  on  Borneo,  but  strange  to  relate,  every- 
body there,  even  to  the  Bishop  and  the  European 
community,  so  he  said,  wrere  of  opinion  that  he  had 
made  a mistake ; and  the  very  natives  themselves 
seemed  disinclined  for  coffee,  commerce,  and  schools. 
How  he  managed  to  get  back  I never  clearly  made 
out.  Gabriel’s  countenance  was  a good  one,  and  he 
ahvays  appeared  in  all  he  did  to  be  actuated  by 
the  purest  motives,  and  the  deepest  sincerity.  He 
had  a mild,  dreamy  eye,  and  he  would  sit  for  hours 
alone,  picturing  to  himself  the  results  of  the  great 
reformation  which  he  was  destined  never  to  accom- 
plish. Again  taking  up  his  abode  with  me,  he  pro- 
fessed his  willingness  to  do  anything,  or  to  go 
anywhere  to  do  good  ; his  life  in  one  hand,  his  um- 
brella in  the  other,  to  gain  a living.  At  last  I got  him 
into  the  police  force ; he  wore  their  uniform  for  about 


206 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


two  days,  and  then  he  returned  to  me  again,  and  in 
a state  of  the  deepest  depression.  He  had  resigned; 
he  could  not  stand  the  rough  work,  and  rougher  talk, 
to  which  he  had  been  exposed.  He  was  next  em- 
ployed at  the  sugar  factory,  and  when  he  paid  me  his 
last  visit  it  was  to  plead  for  the  loan  of  eighteen  dollars 
to  settle  his  rent,  for  the  ruthless  landlord  of  the  small 
house  he  occupied  was  abqut  to  seize  his  all  for  debt, 
as  he  could  not  appreciate  his  philanthropic  object  in 
desiring  to  live  rent  free.  I lent  him  the  money,  but 
never  saw  any  more  either  of  him  or  it.  I feel  sure  he 
would  have  paid  me  if  he  could,  and  I should  really 
like  to  have  heard  what  was  his  ultimate  fate. 

A well-known  clergyman  told  me  of  another 
character,  who  accosted  him  one  day  as  he  was  leaving 
his  church,  and  announcing  himself,  in  a tone  of  mys- 
terious confidence,  as  the  bearer  of  a divine  message, 
summoned  to  Hongkong  to  publish  what  had  been 
thus  revealed,  requested  permission  to  occupy  the  pul- 
pit during  the  afternoon.  My  friend,  noted  no  less  for 
his  caution  than  distinguished  for  his  learning,  said, 
‘Where  are  your  credentials  ? If  you  have  a mission 
direct  from  heaven,  you  are  no  ordinary  person  ; and 
seeing  you  have  been  sent  to  Hongkong,  you  have 
doubtless  been  gifted  with  the  Chinese  tongue  ; so  if 
you  will  just  repeat  what  you  have  stated  in  Chinese, 
I will  let  you  have  the  chapel.’  This  he  could  not  ac- 
complish ; but  he  did  what  surprised  my  worthy  friend 
nearly  as  much — he  confessed  to  being  a faithful 
follower  of  the  Mormons,  and  asked  the  clergyman  if 
he  had  an  old  pair  of  trousers  to  bestow,  as  those  he 
wore  were  not  his  own. 

Like  other  small  communities  at  home  and  abroad, 


GERMAN  MERCHANTS. 


207 


Hongkong  has  a little  artificial  society  of  its  own 
divided  into  sets  or  cliques ; but  on  the  whole  the  in- 
habitants pull  well  together  in  all  matters  where  they 
have  common  interests  at  stake.  The  trade  of  the  port 
is  divided  among  men  of  different  nationalities  ; 
American,  French,  German,  Dutch,  Chinese,  Parsees, 
Hindoos,  all  enjoy  a share  of  the  commercial  prosperity  of 
our  little  colony.  Next  to  the  English  and  Americans, 
German  merchants  hold  the  foremost  place.  They  have 
just  built  a splendid  new  club,  and  they  are  our  close  and 
successful  competitors  in  almost  every  avenue  of  trade. 
Some  of  these  German  houses  have  a very  high 
standing  indeed,  and  their  undoubted  successes  are 
spoken  of  at  times  with  feelings  not  unmingled  with 
bitterness.  Nevertheless,  we  cannot  but  award  them 
just  praise  for  conducting  their  business  with  tho- 
roughness, economy,  and  energy — qualities  which 
have  secured  them  a not  unimportant  position  in 
commercial  circles  in  the  East,  and  have  also  brought 
them  to  the  front  rank  among  Continental  nations 
at  home.  There  are,  doubtless,  times  when  the 
British  merchant  imagines  he  has  just  cause  to  com- 
plain of  the  manner  in  which  the  petty  German 
trader  secures  his  ends,  and  probably  he  is  right.  But 
if  he  is,  it  is  ten  chances  to  one  that  the  trader  who, 
like  a mole  burrowing  in  the  soil,  seeks  the  shady  and 
doubtful  paths  of  commerce,  will  be  found  out  in  the 
long  run  by  the  Chinese  with  whom  he  has  to  deal, 
and  turn  out  a loser  in  the  end.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it 
seems  to  me  that  the  Germans  are  masters  of  some 
elements  of  success  with  which  even  a Scotchman,  with 
all  his  thrift,  can  boast  but  a rudimentary  acquaintance  ; 

in  a word,  they  manage  their  business  more  cheaply  than 

16 


208 


JNDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


we  do.  They  are,  many  of  them,  less  expensive  in  their 
mode  of  living.  Their  assistants  are  not  so  numerous  ; 
they  board  together  in  their  houses  comfortably,  if  not 
quite  as  luxuriously,  as  in  the  English  establishments ; 
and  often  they  are  masters  of  more  than  one  Eu- 
ropean language  ; at  any  rate  most  of  them  not  only 
know  their  own  tongue  thoroughly,  but  can  speak  our 
language  well  enough,  if  need  be,  to  occupy  posts 
even  in  an  English  house.  This  in  itself  enables 
them  to  join  a British  firm,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
adding  to  their  already  extensive  experience  a know- 
ledge of  the  English  trade.  Many  of  them  have  been 
in  houses  in  London,  Manchester,  or  Liverpool,  and 
while  there  have  made  the  most  of  their  opportunities. 
Few  of  our  countrymen,  on  the  other  hand,  have  had 
similar  facilities  for  acquiring  German,  or  have  even 
thought  it  worth  their  while  to  fit  themselves  to  trans- 
late a simple  German  document. 

Nothing  surprised  me  more  in  Hongkong  than 
the  expensive  way  in  which  English  assistants  were 
housed,  and  the  luxuries  with  which  they  were  indulged. 
Indeed  few  more  luxurious  quarters  were  anywhere  to 
be  found  than  the  ‘juni°r  messes’  of  the  wealthy 
British  firms.  There  the  unfledged  youth,  coming  out 
from  the  simplicity  of  some  rural  home,  was  apt  to 
develop  into  a man  of  epicurean  tastes,  a connoisseur 
in  wines,  and  to  become  lavish  in  his  expenditure; 
proud  of  his  birthright,  as  a Briton  ; honest,  hospitable, 
extravagant ; despising  meanness,  and,  alas  ! even  thrift. 
This  sort  of  education  was  not  calculated  to  prepare  the 
merchant  of  the  future  for  the  cheese-paring  shifts  of 
modern  times,  when  markets  are  overstocked,  when 
competition  runs  strong,  when  Chinese  companies  and 


ENGLISH  SOCIETY  IN  HONGKONG. 


209 


German  economy  are  set  in  array  against  us,  and 
when  to  trade  and  win  a share  of  the  wealth,  that 
seemed  almost  forced  upon  us  in  the  olden  times,  re- 
quires now  patience,  self-denial  and  determination. 
But  Hongkong  is  rapidly  shaping  itself  to  the  nervous 
energy  of  the  times,  and  her  English  merchants  still 
hold  their  own  in  the  great  trade  of  China.  Their 
assistants  still  live  well,  although  not  so  lavishly  as 
in  former  days ; they  are  still  hospitable,  still  liberal, 
and  no  unfortunate  fellow-countryman  is  ever  left  des- 
titute in  their  streets.  Often  in  my  time  old  residents 
have  died  and  left  penniless  families  behind  them  ; 
then  subscription  lists  were  opened,  and  responded  to 
with  such  liberality  that  the  widow  and  children  went 
home  with  a very  comfortable  pension.  But  as  I 
said,  the  times  have  changed  ; now  there  are  constant 
telegrams  and  steamers,  and  no  less  constant  anxiety 
and  care.  The  luxury  and  the  extravagance  have 
abated,  but  yet  the  style  of  life  is  higher  and  the 
amusements  of  the  residents  are  more  varied  ; and  alto- 
gether society  in  Hongkong  resembles  more  closely 
what  one  is  accustomed  to  see  at  home. 

The  climate  of  this  quarter  of  the  globe  is  for  about 
six  months  of  the  year  dry,  with  cool  nights,  and  an 
almost  cloudless  sky ; but  when  the  hot  weather  and 
the  rain  come  round,  the  sky  seems  to  descend  and 
rest  like  a sponge  on  the  top  of  the  hill ; and  this  sponge, 
always  full  of  moisture,  is  frequently  squeezed  over  the 
town,  and  the  rain  falls  in  a sheet,  and  floods  the  streets 
and  rises  in  hot  vapour  with  the  sun ; books  and 
papers  become  limp  and  mouldy,  and  the  residents 
feel  as  in  a vapour-bath,  while  reclining  in  their  chairs 
and  languidly  watching  the  flying  ants  that  settle  in 


210 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


thousands  in  the  iamps,  or  alight  on  the  table,  when, 
casting  their  wings,  and,  crawling  like  worms,  they 
seek  an  asylum  in  one’s  soup-plate,  or  in  the  various 
dishes  of  the  dinner-table.  But  after  all  one  gets 
used  to  these  things  and  the  place  is  by  no  means  an 
unhealthy,  or  a disagreeable  one,  to  reside  in. 

I happened  to  be  in  Hongkong  in  1869,  when 
His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  visited 
the  colony.  He  was  the  first  English  Prince  who  had 
roamed  so  far  and  wide  over  the  world,  and  who, 
according  to  the  Chinese  notion,  had  braved  the  dangers 
of  the  deep  in  order  that  he  might,  for  once,  feast  his 
vision  on  the  glories  of  the  ‘Great  Middle  Kingdom.’ 

Whatever  may  have  been  his  impressions  of  the 
Celestial  Empire  and  her  rulers,  any  feeling  of  dis- 
appointment on  that  score  must  have  been  dispelled  by 
the  hearty  British  welcome  he  received  when  the 
‘ Galatea  ’ steamed  through  the  throng  of  native  and 
foreign  craft,  and  moored  in  the  smooth  waters  of 
Hongkong  harbour. 

I well  remember  his  landing.  Ships  of  all  nations 
vied  in  the  splendour  of  their  decorations  ; long  lines 
of  merchant  boats  guarded  the  approach  to  the  wharf ; 
and  on  a thousand  native  craft,  adorned  with  flags 
and  shreds  of  Turkey  red  cloth,  appeared  dusky  multi- 
tudes of  the  floating  population,  swarming  over  the 
decks  or  clinging  to  the  rigging  of  their  vessels.  The 
wharfs,  too,  and  landing-stages,  were  covered  with  a 
sea  of  yellow  faces,  all  eager  to  catch  a glimpse  of  the 
great  English  Prince.  Nor  can  I forget  the  regret 
expressed  by  some  at  finding  he  was  only  a man  and  a 
sailor  after  all.  Some  even  ventured  to  suggest  that 
‘sailor-man  no  saby  proper  Prince  pidjin,’  and  indeed  he 


VISIT  OF  HR. II  THE  DUKE  OF  EDINBURGH.  21 1 


was  only  attired  in  a captain’s  uniform,  with  no  display 
of  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  with  none  of  the  mystic 
emblems  of  royalty  to  hedge  his  dignity  around.  A 
different  being,  this,  surely,  from  the  offspring  of  their 
own  great  Emperor,  who  is  brother  of  the  Sun,  and  full 
cousin  to  the  Moon,  and  on  whose  radiant  countenance 
no  common  mortal  may  look  and  live. 

The  Prince’s  sojourn  on  the  little  island  furnished 
a gay  and  festive  episode  in  its  history.  The  Prince 
and  his  gallant  officers  were  never  behindhand  in  con- 
tributing to  the  enjoyment  of  the  residents.  Their 
crowning  effort  was  a theatrical  performance  given  by 
them  in  the  pretty  City  Hall  Theatre,  where  they  not 
only  displayed  histrionic  skill,  but  where  the  orchestra, 
under  the  able  leadership  of  the  Prince  himself,  proved 
a great  attraction. 


2 I 2 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Snakes  in  Hongkong — A Typhoon — An  Excursion  up  the  North  Branch 
of  the  Pearl  River — Fatshan — The  Fi-lai-sz  Monastery — The  Mang 
tsz-hap,  or  Blind  Man’s  Pass — Rapids — Akum’s  Ambition — The  Kwan- 
yin  Cave — Harvest — From  San-shui  to  Fatshan  in  a Canoe— Canton — 
Governor  Yeh’s  Temple — A Tea  Factory — Spurious  Tea — Making  Tea 
— Shameen — Tea-tasting. 

‘ Beware  of  snakes  ’ is  a caution  very  necessary  to  the 
new  comer  who  may  delight  in  morning  rambles  over 
the  hills  or  through  the  grassy  valleys  of  the  island.  In- 
deed the  snakes  we  find  at  Hongkong  belong  some  of 
them  to  the  most  venomous  sorts.  Thus  I once  myself 
encountered  a hooded  * cobra  ’ among  the  rocks  at 
Wong-nei-Chong.  When  taking  a photograph  I sud- 
denly noticed  a dark  object  moving  close  to  my  feet. 
I raised  my  camera  in  order  to  use  the  tripod  as  a 
weapon  of  defence,  whereupon  the  reptile  reared  its 
head,  erected  its  hood,  and  with  a hiss  slid  down  off 
the  rock  into  the  underwood.  A well-known  doctor 
in  the  colony  captured  three  live  cobras  one  after  the 
other  in  the  hospital  grounds ; these  he  kept  for  some 
time  in  a cage,  and  instituted  a series  of  interest- 
ing experiments  to  test  the  best  mode  of  treating  the 
wounds  which  they  inflicted.  At  one  time  he  had  a 
fine  specimen  in  his  possession.  It  had  been  but 
recently  secured,  and  was  an  object  of  great  interest  to 
his  acquaintances.  But  I confess  my  own  curiosity 
was  somewhat  marred  when  one  afternoon,  before 


SNAKES  IN  HONG-KONG. 


213 


dinner,  my  medical  friend  informed  me  with  much 
gravity  that  he  hourly  expected  a visit  of  the  cobra’s 
mate,  as  they  were  frequently  found  in  pairs.  ‘ If  you 
should  see  it  about  the  room,’  said  he,  ‘just  sit  quiet 
and  don’t  bother  yourself.  It  might  be  beneath  the 
table,  you  know,  but  it  would’nt  attempt  to  bite  unless 
you  happened  to  tread  on  it,  and  even  then  you  might 
hear  it  hiss,  and  have  time  to  get  out  of  its  reach.  At 
any  rate  if  the  wound  was  treated  at  once  you  probably 
would  not  be  a whit  the  worse  for  it.’  Suddenly  the 
dispenser  appeared,  to  announce  that  the  snake  had 
arrived,  and  was  in  the  adjoining  room.  ‘ Now,’  he 
said,  ‘ coolness  and  a quick  eye  are  all  that  we  require 
for  his  capture.  Come  along,  and  mind  your  legs,  for 
the  cobra  is  very  quick  in  his  movements.’  We  ac- 
cordingly proceeded  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  found 
the  enemy  beneath  a chest  of  drawers,  from  which  he 
was  successfully  dislodged  and  secured  in  spite  of  his 
forked  tongue,  his  ferocity,  and  his  poisonous  fangs. 
These  snakes  never  survived  long,  so  that  the  experi- 
ments-which  promised  to  yield  important  results  could 
not  be  carried  to  a satisfactory  issue.  The  doctor  was 
a man  of  wonderful  resource.  During  the  intense  heat 
of  summer  he  was  troubled  with  sleepless  nights,  so  in 
his  bath-room,  near  the  chamber  where  he  slept,  he 
fitted  up  two  bathing-jars,  one  above  the  other,  and 
fixed  a water-wheel  between  them.  This  wheel  had 
originally  belonged  to  a bicycle,  but  was  soon  metamor- 
phosed and  became  the  driving-wheel  which  kept  a 
punkah  continually  at  work,  fanning  him  on  his  bed  all 
night.  The  water  falling  on  the  wheel  descended  to 
the  lower  jar,  and  was  ready  for  his  morning  ablu- 
tions. 


214 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


I had  for  long  been  anxious  to  see  a typhoon,  and  I 
had  my  wish  gratified  in  Hongkong  on  more  occasions 
than  one.  The  strength  of  the  wind  at  such  times, 
is  greater  than  I could  ever  have  thought  possible.  It 
whirls  ships  helplessly  adrift  from  the  firmest  moorings  ; 
and  I have  seen  them  emerge  from  the  storm  with 
canvas  torn  to  shreds,  spars  carried  away,  and  masts 
broken  off  nearly  flush  with  the  decks.  In  Hong- 
kong the  wind  with  a sudden  blast  has  riven  away  the 
corners  of  houses,  and  sent  projecting  verandahs  flying 
across  the  streets.  During  the  height  of  the  gale  the 
residents  for  the  most  part  .shut  themselves  closely  in 
their  houses,  carefully  securing  their  windows  and  doors, 
and  so  remain  with  constant  apprehension  and  dread, 
lest  the  dwelling  should  in  a moment  be  swept  away, 
and  themselves  entombed  beneath  the  ruins.  Once, 
while  the  storm  was  at  its  worst,  I ventured  down  to 
the  Praya  in  time  to  see  the  crowd  of  Chinese  boats 
and  trading  craft  that  had  been  blown  inshore,  and 
piled  up  in  a mass  of  wreck  just  below  the  city,  at  the 
western  extremity  of  the  beach.  One  or  two  intrepid 
foreigners  had  been  there,  and  had  rescued  a large 
number  of  the  natives,  but  many  more  had  gone  down 
with  their  boats.  The  sky  was  of  dark  leaden  colour, 
and  there  were  moments  when  the  fierce  strength  of  the 
wind  abated,  but  only  to  gather  fresh  violence,  catching 
up  the  crested  waves  and  sending  them  in  long  white 
streaks  of  vapour  across  the  scene,  through  which  the 
dismantled  ships  were  dimly  descried  drifting  from  their 
moorings,  and  the  steamers  with  steam  up  ready  for 
an  emergency.  Besides,  the  heavy  stone-faced  wall  of 
the  Praya  had  given  way,  and  the  great  granite  blocks 
of  which  it  was  composed  had  been  washed  in  upon 


V'PHDON  IN  HONGKONG  HARBOUR 


A TYPHOON  IN  HONGKONG  HARBOUR. 


21S 


the  road.  Half  blinded  by  the  waves  as  they  leapt 
over  the  road  and  dashed  in  angry  foam  against  the 
houses,  and  leaning  forward  in  the  efforts,  often  fruitless, 
to  make  headway  against  the  tempest,  I at  length 
reached  the  east  end  of  the  settlement,  where  a number 
of  foreigners  were  attempting  to  rescue  two  women 
from  a small  Chinese  boat.  These  boatwomen  were 
using  the  most  desperate  exertions  to  keep  their  tiny 
vessel  in  position,  and  to  prevent  it  from  being  dashed 
to  pieces  against  the  breach  in  the  Praya  wall,  where 
jagged  blocks  of  stone  were  interspersed  with  the 
fragments  of  boats  that  had  already  been  destroyed. 
So  strong  was  the  wind  that  the  wild  raging  ocean 
seemed  reduced  nearly  to  a level,  for  the  tops  of  the 
waves  were  caught  up  by  the  tempest  in  its  fury  and 
hurled  in  blinding  spray  into,  and  even  over  the  houses. 
We  had  to  cling  to  the  lamposts  and  stanchions,  and  to 
seek  shelter  against  the  doorways  and  walls.  Advan- 
tage was  taken  of  a slight  lull  in  the  storm  to  fire  oft" 
rockets,  but  these  were  driven  back  like  feathers  against 
the  houses.  Then  long-boats  were  dragged  to  the 
pier,  but  the  first  was  broken  and  disabled  the  moment 
it  touched  the  water,  while  the  second  met  a like  fate, 
and  its  gallant  crew  were  pitched  out  into  the  sea.  In 
short,  every  effort  proved  abortive,  and  as  darkness  set 
in  the  boat  and  the  unhappy  women  were  reluctantly 
abandoned  to  their  fate.  Next  morning  the  whole 
length  of  the  Praya  presented  a scene  of  wreckage  and 
desolation.  Many  of  the  Chinese,  notwithstanding 
their  shrewdness  in  predicting  storms,  had  been  taken 
quite  unawares,  and  hence  the  fearful  sacrifice  of  life 
and  the  loss  of  property  which  had  ensued. 

In  1870,  accompanied  by  three  Hongkong  resi 


21  b 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


dents,  I made  an  excursion  up  the  north  branch  of 
the  Pearl  River  of  Canton.  This  northern  affluent 
joins  the  main  stream  at  a spot  called  ‘ San-shui  ’ or 
‘ three  waters/  lying-  above  the  city  about  forty  miles 
inland.  To  reach  it,  we  must  pass  through  the 
Fatshan  Creek,  where  Commodore  Keppel  fought  his 
famous  action  in  the  year  1857.  The  town  of  Fatshan 
exceeds  a mile  in  length  ; the  creek  passes  right 
through  its  centre.  It  is  said  to  be  the  nucleus  of  the 
greatest  manufacturing  districts  of  Southern  China. 
Cutlery  and  hardware  are  the  two  chief  industries, 
hence  Fatshan  is  sometimes  designated  the  Birming- 
ham or  Sheffield  of  the  Flowery  Land.  It  seemed  a 
strange  thing  to  me  when  I examined  the  knives,  the 
scissors,  and  the  pans  of  brass  and  copper  which  find  a 
ready  market  all  over  the  country,  that  similar  articles 
of  a superior  English  make  have  done  so  little  to 
paralyse  the  industry  of  these  Fatshan  factories. 
This  is  partly  caused  by  the  cheapness  of  Chinese 
labour,  and  partly  by  the  suitableness  of  the  articles 
manufactured  to  the  local  popular  requirements. 
Chinese  scissors,  for  example,  are  quite  different  in 
form  from  those  in  use  with  us,  and,  if  we  were  to 
attempt  to  cut  with  them,  we  should  be  apt  to  tear  the 
cloth.  In  the  hands  of  a native  tailor  they  are  made  to 
work  wonders,  and  indeed  use  had  taught  the  latter  to 
prefer  them  to  our  own.  I have  no  doubt  it  would  be 
well  worth  the  while  of  an  English  manufacturer  to 
visit  F'atshan  and  make  himself  acquainted  with  the 
exact  form  of  all  the  different  kinds  of  tools  in  use 
among  the  Chinese,  so  that  afterwards  he  might 
imitate  and  export  them  himself.  The  iron  used  in  this 
district  is  imported  from  foreign  countries,  although  it 


FATSHAN  CREEK. 


217 


lias  been  said  that  ore  abounds  in  the  Yan-ping  division 
of  the  province, 1 of  a quality  so  good,  as  to  yield 
70  per  cent  of  the  pure  metal,  and  contiguous  also 
to  deposits  of  valuable  coal.  So  long,  however,  as 
‘ Feng-shui  ’ and  shortsighted  Government  interest  hold 
their  sway,  mines  are  certain  never  to  be  opened  up. 
As  we  pass  through  the  city  we  notice  numerous  im- 
posing edifices  substantially  built  of  brick,  the  resi- 
dence of  native  merchants,  temples  with  a grotesquely 
sculptured  granite  facade,  and  a large  customs  station  ; 
but  the  houses  in  the  suburbs  which  border  the  creek 
are  raised  above  water  on  piles,  and  their  temporary 
miserable  appearance  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the 
princely  abodes  and  evidences  of  wealth  which  we  en- 
counter in  the  heart  of  the  town.  These  poor  propped- 
up  tenements  suggest  the  idea  of  a procession  of 
invalids,  staggering  forth  on  their  way  into  the  country, 
much  the  worse  for  the  dissipation  of  city  life.  The 
creek  is  the  principal  thoroughfare,  and  is  crowded 
with  thousands  of  junks  and  boats,  all  busily  engaged 
in  loading  or  discharging  cargo,  or  else  in  bearing 
passengers  to  and  fro  along  the  extremely  narrow 
channel  which  winds  its  way  through  this  floating 
Babel,  where  endless  discord  reigns.  This  creek  is 
evidently  much  too  contracted  for  the  traffic  of  the 
place  ; and  I can  readily  imagine  how,  seventeen  years 
ago,  the  Chinese  squadron,  fleeing  before  a handful  of 
British  tars  in  their  small  boats,  drew  up  like  a wall 
across  this  narrow  passage,  and  poured  a hailstorm  of 
shot  upon  their  gallant  assailants,  spreading  death  and 
destruction  among  the  little  band.  As  for  the  Com- 


China  Review , 1873,  P-  337- 


2 1 8 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


modore,  with  his  boat  shot  away  from  under  him,  ‘ with 
his  coxswain  killed,  and  every  man  of  his  crew  wounded,’1 
he  calmly  retired  to  await  reinforcements  and  returned 
at  last  from  a severe  attack,  with  five  of  the  largest 
junks  in  tow.  The  Chinese  themselves,  who  are  by 
no  means  destitute  of  courage,  are  said  honestly  to  have 
acknowledged  their  admiration  for  the  pluck,  and 
daring  of  the  man  who  started  with  seven  small  boats 
to  capture  Fatshan  and  its  200,000  inhabitants,  and 
who  destroyed  their  entire  fleet — the  terror,  as  was 
supposed  of  the  ‘ foreign  fire-eating  devils,’  who  were 
held  never  before  this  to  have  fought  a fair  fight ; 
but  to  be  always  taking  their  foes  in  the  rear  of  their 
forts,  instead  of  bravely  coming  to  the  front  and  facing 
the  guns  which  had  been  set  up  with  so  much  pains 
for  the  very  purpose  of  receiving  their  assaults. 

Whenever  a block-up  among  the  boats  in  the  creek 
takes  place — which  happens  frequently,  and  is  pro- 
tracted indefinitely  for  a long  period  of  time — one  has 
leisure  to  notice  the  numerous  floating  tea  and  music- 
saloons,  and  many  flower-barges  moored  close  against 
the  banks.  These  boats  carry  elevated  cabins  on  their 
decks,  and  are  very  prettily  painted,  gilded,  and 
decorated  throughout.  The  windows  and  doors  are 
curtained  with  silk  ; and  through  one  of  these,  which 
stood  conveniently  open,  we  could  discern  gaily-dressed 
young  dandies,  and  even  elder  sybarites,  flirting  with 
gaudily-painted  girls,  who  waited  upon  them  with  silver 
pipes  or  Chinese  hookahs,  or  served  up  cups  of  tea. 
There  were  pleasure-boats,  too,  fitted  up  with  private 
cabins,  in  which  families  were  being  conveyed  into  the 


China , G.  Wingrove  Cooke,  p.  35. 


WONG-TONG  VILLAGE. 


219 


country  to  enjoy  a glimpse  of  the  green  rice-fields  and 
orchards. 

At  San-shui  we  entered  the  north  river,  passing 
into  a picturesque  district,  in  some  places  not  unlike 
the  Scottish  lowlands,  covered  with  ripening  fields  of 
barley.  Halting  not  far  from  the  town  of  Lo’pau,  at 
YVong-Tong  village,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  stream,  I 
prepared  to  take  a photograph,  and  my  intention  was 
to  include  a group  of  old  women  who  were  gossiping 
and  drawing  water  ; but  when  they  saw  my  instrument 
pointed  towards  their  hamlet,  they  fled  in  alarm,  and 
spread  abroad  the  report  that  the  foreigners  had  re- 
turned and  were  preparing  to  bombard  the  settlement. 
A deputation  soon  set  out  from  the  village,  led  by  a 
venerable  Chinaman,  the  head  man  of  the  clan,  and  to 
him  we  explained  that  we  had  come  on  no  hostile 
errand,  but  only  to  take  a picture  of  the  place.  He 
gave  us  a hearty  welcome  to  his  house,  spreading  tea 
and  cake  before  us.  This  was  one  of  those  many  in- 
stances of  a simple  genuine  hospitality  which  I experi- 
enced all  over  the  land  ; and  I feel  assured  that  any 
foreigner  knowing  enough  of  the  language  to  make  his 
immediate  wants  understood,  and  endowed  with  a 
reasonable  even  temper,  would  encounter  little  opposi- 
tion in  travelling  over  the  greater  part  of  China.  But 
there  is  always  a certain  amount  of  danger  in  the 
larger  and  more  populous  cities.  We  offered  one  or 
two  small  silver  coins  to  the  children  of  the  house,  but 
the  old  gentleman  would  not  permit  them  to  be 
accepted,  until  it  had  been  carefully  explained  to  him 
that  they  were  simply  gifts  to  be  worn  as  charms,  and 
not  intended  as  a recompense  for  his  hospitality. 

On  the  bank  of  the  river  in  the  Tsing-yune  district 


220 


IND 0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


I narrowly  escaped  sinking  into  a quicksand.  We  spent 
a night  before  Tsing-yune  city,  but  were  kept  awake 
by  the  noise  of  gongs  and  crackers,  by  the  odour  of 
joss-sticks,  and  by  the  smoke  of  cooking  from  the  ad- 
joining boats.  At  length  we  reached  the  monastery  of 
Fi-lai-sz,  perhaps  the  most  picturesque  and  one  of  the 
most  famous  of  its  kind  to  be  seen  in  the  south  of 
China.  The  building  is  approached  from  the  brink  of 
the  river  by  a flight  of  broad  granite  steps;  this  con- 
ducts us  to  an  outer  gate,  whereon  is  inscribed  in 
characters  of  gold,  ‘ Hioh  Shan  Miau.’  The  monastery 
has  been  built  on  a richly  wooded  hill-side,  and  half 
way  up  to  it,  on  the  verge  of  a mossy  dell,  we  reach 
the  Fi-lai-sz  shrine.  Three  idols  stand  within  this 
shrine,  one  of  them  representing,  or  supposed  to  repre- 
sent, the  pious  founder,  who  is  said  to  have  been 
transported  hither,  shrine  and  all,  on  the  wings  of  a 
fiery  dragon,  more  than  two  thousand  years  ago.  A 
favourite  resting-place  this  for  travellers,  one  where 
they  are  hospitably  entertained,  and  where  the  monks, 
with  impious  sympathy  for  human  weakness,  supply 
their  guests  with  opium,  and  sell  carved  sticks,  cut 
from  the  sacred  temple  groves,  as  parting  relics  of  their 
visit. 

The  Tsing-yune  pass,  in  which  the  monastery  lies, 
is  in  great  repute  as  a burial-ground.  There,  thousands 
of  graves  front  the  river  and  stud  the  hill  slopes  to 
a height  of  about  800  feet.  To  every  grave  there  is  a 
neat  facing  of  stone,  something  in  the  form  of  a horse- 
shoe, or  like  an  easy-chair  with  a rounded  back.  The 
interior  of  the  temple  cloister  is  paved  with  granite  and 
decorated  with  flowers  set  out  in  vases  and  orna- 
mental pots  ; thus  art  lent  its  aid  to  a scene  of  natural 


LIEN-  CHO  W-KWONG. 


22  1 


loveliness  the  most  romantic  and  beautiful.  On  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  stream  a narrow  path  leads  to  a 
wooded  ravine,  whither  the  monks  retire  when  they 
seek  to  abstract  themselves  from  the  world,  forgetting 
existence,  with  its  pleasures  and  sorrows,  and  culti- 
vating that  supreme  repose  which  will  bring  them 
nearer  Nirvana.  It  seemed  to  me,  when  I inspected 
the  cell-like  chambers  of  these  devotees,  that  some 
among  them  were  not  unfamiliar  with  the  fumes  of  the 
opium-pipe,  and  that  they  must,  poor  frail  mortals  ! at 
times  endeavour  to  float  away  to  the  western  heavens 
steeped  in  the  incense  of  that  enslaving  drug.  I cannot 
picture  anything  more  dreary  and  depressing,  than  the 
unnatural  existence  which  these  recluses  are  supposed 
to  lead,  droning  their  dull  lives  away  in  chanting  a 
tedious,  and  to  some  of  them,  meaningless  ritual  ; seek- 
ing to  attain  the  perfect  holiness  of  doing  nothing,  learn- 
ing nothing,  and  feeling  nothing ; struggling,  indeed, 
to  crush  out  all  consciousness  of  life,  and  to  resolve 
themselves  into  the  inanimate  material  out  of  which  all 
things  have  been  created. 

We  next  halted  at  a village  called  Lien-Chow- 
Kwong.  It  was  a miserable  specimen  of  its  kind, 
planted  in  a desolate  neighbourhood,  and  with  an  air 
of  poverty  and  destitution  pervading  both  it  and  its  in- 
habitants. The  wretched  unwashed  peasant,  in  his 
tattered  coat,  leant  from  sheer  weakness  against  a wall, 
in  order  to  get  a steady  look  at  us,  while  the  lean 
and  ill-conditioned  fowls  were  plucking  their  own 
feathers  out  to  appease  the  pangs  of  hunger ! The 
passes  in  this  river  present  some  bold  rock  and  hill 
scenery,  while  the  short  reaches  and  sudden  bends 
of  the  stream  remind  one  of  Highland  lochs.  In 

17 


22  2 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA . 


other  places  the  hills  slope  gently  downwards  towards 
the  water,  and  terminate  in  a bank  of  glittering  sand, 
not  unfrequently  a mile  broad.  These  sand-banks 
glare  like  miniature  deserts  beneath  the  blazing  mid- 
day sun,  but  are  happy  in  the  association  of  a re- 
freshing stream  which  flows  clear  and  cool  along  the 
margin.  The  Mang-Tsz-Hap,  or  Blind  Man’s  Pass,  is 
one  of  the  finest  on  the  river.  Here  the  bold  crags 
shoot  up  in  precipices  that  are  lost  in  shreds  of  drifting 
mist,  as  if  the  heavy  clouds,  sweeping  across  jagged 
pinnacles  of  rock,  were  riven  into  a hundred  vapoury 
fragments.  The  weather  was  now  cold  and  stormy, 
but  fitful  gleams  of  sunshine  broke  in  upon  the  dark- 
ness, now  lending  its  brightness  to  a patch  of  vivid 
green  among  the  rocks,  now  shooting  a solitary  beam 
through  clouds  and  haze,  to  light  up  some  distant  spot 
upon  the  waters.  Once,  caught  in  a rapid  by  a sudden 
ofust  of  wind,  our  boat  seemed  like  to  have  been 
shattered  in  the  breakers  ; but  her  crew  in  a twinkling 
slipped  the  tracking-line,  and  she  drifted  safely  down 
mid-stream.  At  another  time  we  ran  aground,  and  the 
sudden  shock  sent  one  of  the  boatmen  headlong  over- 
board. He  was  thoroughly  exhausted  when  we  picked 
him  up  again  ; but  after  a glass  of  brandy  he  speedily 
recovered,  and  expressed  his  willingness  to  be  rescued 
from  drowning,  and  revived  in  the  same  way,  as 
frequently  as  we  chose  to  repeat  the  dose. 

The  Chinese  get  the  credit  of  being  exceedingly- 
temperate,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  this  is  true  ; but 
at  the  same  time,  among  the  lower  orders,  especially 
the  boating  population,  temperance  is  only  observed 
because  sheer  necessity  compels  restraint ; and  many  of 
the  boatmen  on  the  rivers  along  which  I have  travelled 


YING-TEK  CITY. 


223 


will  drink  sam-shu  to  excess  during  the  cold  weather, 
whenever  they  can  win  a few  extra  cash.  These  men 
are  about  as  poor  and  miserable  a class  as  one  can 
meet  in  the  most  poverty-stricken  districts  of  the  land. 
In  the  southern  provinces  their  sole  food  is  steamed 
rice  flavoured  with  salt,  or  rendered  more  savoury  with 
a fragment  of  salt  fish  ; and  when  times  are  good,  they 
even  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  a little  bit  of  pork  fat. 
It  is  surprising  how  they  stand  the  cold,  more  especi- 
ally in  the  northern  regions,  and  how  a drop  of  spirits 
will  send  the  warm  blood  tingling  through  their  veins 
and  cause  them  to  display  a muscular  power  and  a 
strength  of  endurance  not  easily  accounted  for,  when 
one  considers  the  simple  nature  of  their  food. 
Millions  of  these  hardy  sons  of  toil  live  from  hand  to 
mouth,  and  are  only  kept  from  starving,  from  piracy, 
and  from  rebellion,  by  the  cheapness  of  their  staple 
food,  and  by  the  constant  demand  for  their  labour. 
But  there  are  pirates  to  be  found  in  this  very  river ; 
our  crew  themselves  told  us  of  it,  and  added,  that  for 
anything  they  knew  to  the  contrary  there  might  be  a 
swarm  of  them  in  the  boats  among  which  we  moored 
at  night. 

At  Ying-Tek  city  I fell  in  with  a spectacle  which 
fully  confirmed  this  assertion,  and  at  the  same  time 
produced  in  me  a sensation  of  horror  that  it  will  be 
impossible  ever  to  forget.  Ying-Tek  stands  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  stream.  Beneath  its  outer  wall 
there  stretches  a bank  of  reeking  filth  and  garbage, 
which  at  mid-day  must  pollute  the  air  for  miles 
around.  We  picked  our  way  over  slimy  treacherous 
paths  and  across  putrid-looking  pools,  till  we  passed 
through  the  gateway  into  the  main  street  of  the  town. 


224 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


It  was  an  exceedingly  narrow  thoroughfare,  and  had  at 
one  time  been  paved,  but  the  pavement  was  now 
broken  and  disordered  ; while,  as  to  the  people,  they 
looked  sickly,  sullen,  dirty  and  dispirited.  But  it  was 
in  the  market-place  we  beheld  the  most  shocking  sight 
of  all.  There  the  bodies  of  two  men  were  exposed  to  the 
public  gaze,  their  position  indicated  by  swarms  of  flies, 
and  the  air  telling  that  decomposition  had  already  set 
in.  One  of  these  malefactors  had  been  starved  to 
death  in  the  Cage  in  which  he  stood,  and  the  other  had 
been  crucified. 

Beyond  the  rapids  of  this  part  of  the  river  we  reach 
vast  cultivated  plains,  out  of  which  isolated  limestone 
rocks  and  parallel  ranges  of  mountains  rise  up  in 
shapes  most  fantastic,  and  disorder  most  picturesque. 
It  was  from  a hill  above  the  Polo-hang  temple  that  we 
obtained  the  finest  view  of  the  country.  The  cultivation 
hereabouts  was  of  a kind  I had  never  seen  before.  In 
the  foreground  were  a multitude  of  fields,  banked  off 
for  the  purposes  of  irrigation,  but  already  shorn  of 
their  crops.  Here  and  there  was  a mound  covered 
with  temples  and  trees  ; and  beyond,  reaching  to  the 
base  of  the  distant  mountains,  were  groves  of  the  pale 
green  bamboo  rocking  their  plumage  to  and  fro  in  the 
wind,  like  the  waves  of  an  emerald  sea.  The  bamboo 
is  reared  in  this  and  other  districts,  and  forms  a valu- 
able article  of  commerce,  the  wealth  of  a landowner 
being  frequently  estimated  by  the  number  of  clumps 
which  he  has  on  his  estate.  Its  growth  is  rapid  and  in- 
dependent. It  requires  neither  care  nor  tillage,  and  is  a 
source  of  abundant  riches  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

When  looking  on  this  scene  my  old  Chinaman, 
Akum,  came  up.  I do  not  think  he  has  yet  been  intro- 


THE  KWANG-TUNG  PROVINCE. 


2-5 

duced  to  my  readers.  He  was  a faithful  servant,  or 
boy,  as  they  are  here  called,  about  forty  years  of  age, 
who  had  been  in  my  employment  in  Singapore,  and 
afterwards  turning  trader,  had  lost  his  small  capital. 
‘Well,’  he  said,  ‘ what  are  you  looking  at,  Sir?’  ‘At 
the  beautiful  view,’  I replied.  ‘ Yes,’  be  said  ; ‘ I wish 
I had  the  smallest  of  these  hills ; I would  settle 


LOOKING  NORTH  FROM  THE  PO-LO-HANG  TEMPLE,  KWANG-TUNG. 


there,  on  the  top,  watching  my  gardeners  at  work  below, 
and  when  I saw  one  labourer  more  industrious  than 
the  rest  I would  reward  him  with  a wife.’ 

He  spoke  to  me  often  afterwards  about  this  ideal 
hill  on  which  he  hoped  one  day  to  sit,  and  reward  the 
virtue  of  his  servants. 

Hereafter  I may  say  something  as  to  the  multi- 
tudinous uses  to  which  the  bamboo  can  be  applied. 


226 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


There  is  good  snipe  and  pheasant-shooting  in  this 
quarter. 

We  noticed  quantities  of  the  reeds  employed  for 
making  Canton  mats.  Mats  of  this  sort  are  manu- 
factured extensively  in  three  places,1  viz.  Tun-kun, 
Lin-tan,  and  Canton.  They  afford  occupation  to  many 
thousand  operatives,  and  are  indeed  an  important 
industry  of  the  province  of  Kwang-tung.  About 
1 1 2,000  rolls,  measuring  40  yards  apiece,  are  said  to 
be  annually  exported  from  Canton. 

About  two  hundred  miles  above  Canton  we  visited 
the  most  remarkable  object  which  we  had  encountered 
in  the  course  of  our  journey.  This  is  the  celebrated 
grotto  of  Kwan-yin,  the  goddess  of  mercy,  formed  out 
of  a natural  cave  in  the  foot  of  a limestone  precipice 
which  rears  its  head  high  above  the  stream.  The 
mouth  of  the  cavern  opens  on  the  water’s  edge,  and 
the  interior  has  been  enlarged  in  some  places  by 
excavation,  and  built  up  in  others  so  as  to  render  it 
suitable  for  a Buddhist  shrine.  A broad  granite 
platform  surmounted  by  a flight  of  steps  leads  us  into 
the  upper  chamber,  and  there  the  goddess  may  be  seen 
seated  on  a huge  lotus-flower  ; sculptured,  so  they  tell 
us,  by  no  human  hands,  and  discovered  in  situ  within 
the  cave.  The  priests  placed  implicit  faith  in  the 
story,  but  they  could  not  be  persuaded  to  believe  that 
the  flower  might  be  the  fossil  of  a pre-historic  lotus  of 
monstrous  dimensions.  Barbarians  might  credit  such 
childish  fables  as  that  flowers  or  fishes  can  be  turned 
into  stone,  but  not  the  enlightened  followers  of 
Buddha:  No;  they  say  the  lotus  was  created  in  the 


1 China  Review,  1873,  p.  255. 


THE  GODDESS  A' l VAN-  YIN. 


227 


cave  for  Kwan-yin  to  sit  upon  ; there  was  no  getting 
over  that. 

According  to  their  account,  this  goddess  of  mere) 
has  a marvellous  history.  She  first  appeared  on  earth 
in  the  centre  of  the  world,  that  is  China,  as  the 
daughter  of  a Chinaman  named  ‘ Shi-kin,’  and  she  was 
made  visible  to  mortal  eyes  as  a child  of  the  Emperor 
Miao-Chwang.  The  sovereign  ordered  her  to  marry, 
and  this  she  steadfastly  refused  to  do,  thus  violating 
the  native  usages,  whereupon  the  dutiful  parent  put 
her  remorselessly  to  death.  But  this  measure,  con- 
trary to  Miao-Chwang’s  expectation,  only  caused  his 
daughter  to  be  promoted  into  the  proud  position  she 
now  fills.  Afterwards  Kwan-yin  is  said  to  have  visited 
the  infernal  regions,  where  the  presence  of  such  trans- 
cendant  goodness  and  beauty  produced  an  instantaneous 
effect.  The  instruments  of  torture  dropped  from  the 
hands  of  the  executioners,  the  guilty  were  liberated, 
and  hell  was  transformed  into  paradise  itself. 

The  goddess  now  looks  down  with  a benign  ex- 
pression from  her  seat  upon  the  lotus  throne,  but  she 
seems  to  be  urgently  in  need  of  repairs. 

The  priests  who  dwell  within  the  cave  sit  over- 
looking the  river  from  an  opening  in  the  upper  face  of 
the  rock,  which  serves  the  purpose  of  a window.  As 
we  see  them  with  the  sun  at  their  backs  they  appear 
to  be  like  a row  of  badly-preserved  idols,  so  motionless 
do  they  sit,  and  so  unconscious,  to  all  seeming,  of  the 
presence  of  foreigners.  But  when  we  confront  them 
and  display  a bright  coin,  they  wake  up,  and  manifest 
an  unholy  zeal  to  appropriate  it. 

The  money  is  offered  and  accepted,  and  then  a 
venerable  member  of  the  order  shows  us  through  the 


228 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


interior  of  the  cave.  A number  of  smaller  idols,  the 
attendants  of  Kwan-yin,  are  ranged  along  niches  in  the 
rock  ; a little  lighted  taper  burns  in  front  of  each,  while 
cups  of  sam-shu  and  votive  offerings  of  food  are  spread 
out  before  them.  A group  of  stalactites  hangs  in  front 
of  the  window  ; above  and  around  them  hover  a number 
of  pure  white  doves,  that  descend  at  the  call  of  the 
aged  priest,  and  feed  out  of  his  hand.  It  was  interest- 
ing to  notice  the  outstretched  hand  of  the  old  man  ; it 
was  withered,  shrunken,  and  encumbered  by  a set  of 
long  yellow  nails  that  looked  dead,  and  were  already 
partly  buried  beneath  the  unwashed  encrustation  of  a 
lifetime.  This  recluse  said  that  the  spotlessness  of 
the  doves  is  emblematic  of  the  purity  of  the  goddess,  and 
admitted  that  for  anything  he  knew  to  the  contrary  these 
doves  might  contain  the  departed  spirits  of  former 
monks.  Judging  from  the  appearance  of  our  vener- 
able unwashed  friend,  the  spirits  of  departed  monks 
would  feel  extremely  uncomfortable  in  their  new 
quarters,  having  exchanged  their  filthy  robes  and 
filthier  bodies  for  the  spotless  plumage  of  the  dove. 

It  is  harvest-time,  and  the  grain  in  many  places  is 
already  cut,  and  has  been  piled  up  in  farm-yards  in 
stacks,  to  be  thrashed  with  flails,  or  trodden  beneath 
the  heavy-footed  ox.  The  season  has  been  a plenteous 
one,  and  the  farmers  are  full  of  joy,  praising  the  god 
of  agriculture  for  the  abundance  of  this  their  second 
crop,  from  a soil  which  has  yielded  produce  during 
centuries  of  constantly  recurring  harvests.  The 
Chinese  are  careful  farmers,  and  were  probably  the 
first  to  understand  that  their  land  requires  as  much 
consideration  as  their  oxen  or  their  asses ; that  the 
substnce  which  it  gives  up  to  a crop  has  to  be  re- 


HARVEST-TIME. 


229 


placed  by  manure,  and  that  it  requires  a time  of  rest 
after  a season  of  labour,  before  it  will  yield  its  greatest 
increase.  How  the  Chinese  acquired  this  knowledge, 
and  at  what  epoch,  are  questions  which  Confucius 
himself  would  probably  have  been  puzzled  to  answer. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  they  succeed  in  raising- 
green  crops  and  grain  alternately  from  their  fields  at 
least  twice  in  the  year.  But  this  extraordinary  fertility 
is  due  in  part  to  the  small  size  of  their  farms,  which 
are,  most  of  them,  of  so  limited  an  area  that  the  pro- 
prietors can  cultivate  them  personally  with  unceasing 
care,  and  partly  also  to  the  abundant  use  of  manure  in 
fashion  among  the  peasants  of  China.  We  see  evi- 
dences of  the  social  economy  of  the  people  in  a multitude 
of  instances  and  a variety  of  ways.  Thus,  when  the 
farmer  is  near  a town,  he  pays  a small  sum  to  certain 
houses  for  the  privilege  of  daily  removing  their  sewage 
to  his  own  manure-pit.  This  sewage  he  uses,  for  the 
most  part  in  a fluid  state,  often  to  fertilise  poor  waste 
lands  which  have  been  leased  to  him  at  a low  rental. 
If  his  farm  is  some  distance  from  villages  or  towns,  he 
is  careful  to  use  every  opportunity  for  securing  cheap 
supplies  of  the  manure  which  he  so  much  needs,  and 
accordingly  he  erects  small  houses  for  the  use  of  way 
farers  alongr  the  edg^e  of  his  fields.  His  neighbour  is 
equally  careful  to  have  houses  of  the  same  description  ; 
and  they  vie  with  each  other  in  keeping  them  as  clean 
and  attractive-looking  as  possible. 

I returned  to  Canton  alone  from  San  Shui,  in  a 
small  boat,  leaving  my  friends  to  find  their  own  way 
leisurely  back.  At  one  place  there  were  only  a few 
inches  of  water  above  the  bed  of  the  stream,  so  I had 
to  hire  an  open  canoe,  while  my  baggage  was  carried 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


230 

overland  to  the  next  bend  of  the  river.  In  this  canoe 
I descended,  or  rather  raced,  down  to  Fatshan  amid  a 
number  of  similar  craft  whereon  Chinese  traders  were 
embarked.  The  distance  was  about  twenty-five  miles. 
We  contrived  to  reach  the  town  about  half  an  hour 
ahead  of  the  rest,  and  passed  at  once  down  the  narrow 
channel  between  the  crowded  boats.  This  was  by  far 
the  most  disagreeable  experience  of  the  journey.  At- 
tempting to  land  quietly  and  have  a look  at  the  town,  I 
was  assailed  on  the  bank  by  a mob  of  roughs,  who 
drove  me  into  the  river,  where  I was  taken  into  a boat 
by  a couple  of  good-natured  women,  and  by  them 
rowed  down  stream  till  I could  succeed  in  engaging  a 
fast-boat  to  convey  me  as  far  as  Canton. 

Canton  and  the  Kwang-tung  province,  as  my  reader 
is  doubtless  aware,  continued  for  many  years  to  be 
almost  the  only  places  in  the  vast  Chinese  Empire 
with  which  Europeans  were  acquainted.  I need  hardly 
do  more  here  than  refer  those  of  my  readers  who  take 
an  interest  in  the  obscure  and  checquered  history  of 
Canton  to  an  elaborate  and  interesting  account,  trans- 
lated and  published  in  China  by  Mr.  Bowra,  of  the 
Imperial  Customs.  In  this  narrative  it  is  stated  that 
the  first  authentic  notice  of  Kwang-tung  province  is 
found  in  the  native  writings  of  the  Chow  dynasty  b.c. 
1122.  The  fifth  century  of  our  era  is  set  down  as  the 
date  at  which  Buddhist  missionaries  introduced  their 
religious  classics,  and  not  only  founded  the  sect  which 
now  predominates  in  the  country,  but  led  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  commercial  relations  between  the  Empires 
of  India  and  China.  The  intercourse  which  the 
Chinese  have  ever  since  that  time  carried  on  with  other 
nations  has  been  subject  to  periodical  interruptions, 


CANTON  STEAMERS. 


23« 


and  its  history  has  been  one  of  endless  strife ; China, 
on  the  one  hand,  adhering  steadfastly  to  her  policy  of 
exclusiveness,  and  throwing  all  kinds  of  barriers  in  the 
way  of  foreign  trade ; while  outside  communities,  with 
equal  persistence,  applied  a pressure  to  which  the 
Chinese  have  been  gradually  giving  way,  and  thus  the 
mutually  advantageous  treaty  relations  have  by  tardy 
steps  been  established. 

The  city  of  Canton  stands  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Chu-kiang  or  Pearl  River,  about  ninety  miles  inland, 
and  is  accessible  at  all  seasons  to  vessels  of  the  largest 
tonnage.  Communication  between  the  capital  and  the 
other  parts  of  the  province  is  afforded  by  the  three 
branches  which  feed  the  Pearl  River,  and  by  a network 
of  canals,  and  creeks.  A line  of  fine  steamers  plies  daily 
between  the  city  and  Hongkong,  and  the  submarine 
telegraph,  at  the  latter  place,  has  thus  brought  the  once 
distant  Cathay  into  daily  correspondence  with  the 
western  world.  It  is  a pleasant  trip  from  Hongkong 
up  the  broad  Pearl  River.  From  the  deck  of  the 
steamers  one  may  view  with  comfort  the  ruins  of  the 
Bogue  forts,  and  think  of  the  time  and  feelings  of 
Captain  Weddell,  who,  in  1637,  anchored  the  first  fleet 
of  English  merchant  vessels  before  them.  From  this 
point  the  gallant  captain,  through  the  misrepresentation 
and  slander  of  the  Portuguese,  had  to  fight  his  way  up 
to  Canton,  where  he  at  last  obtained  cargoes  at  rates  so 
unprofitable  that  the  trade  was  abandoned  for  a quarter 
of  a century  afterwards.  The  Chinese  cabin  in  the 
Canton  steamer  is  an  interesting  sight,  too.  It  is 
crowded  with  passengers  every  trip  ; and  there  they  lie 
on  the  deck  in  all  imaginable  attitudes,  some  on  mats 
smoking  opium,  others  on  benches  fast  asleep.  There 


232 


JAW O- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


are  little  gambling  parties  in  one  corner,  and  city 
merchants  talking  trade  in  another ; and  viewed  from 
the  cabin-door  the  whole  presents  a wonderfully  con- 
fused perspective  of  naked  limbs,  arms  and  heads, 
queues,  fans,  pipes,  and  silk  or  cotton  jackets.  The 
owners  of  these  miscellaneous  effects  never  dream  of 
walking  about,  or  enjoying  the  scenery  or  sea-breeze. 
I only  once  noticed  a party  of  Chinese  passengers 
aroused  to  something  bordering  on  excitement,  and  it 
was  in  this  Canton  steamer.  They  had  caught  a 
countryman  in  an  attempt  at  robbery,  and  determined 
to  punish  him  in  their  own  way.  When  the  steamer 
reached  the  wharf,  they  relieved  the  delinquent  of  his 
clothing,  bound  it  around  his  head,  and  tied  his  hands 
behind  his  back  with  cords  ; and  in  this  condition  sent 
him  ashore  to  meet  his  friends,  but  not  before  they  had 
covered  his  nakedness  with  a coat  of  oil-pffint  of  various 
tints. 

My  readers  will  remember  the  celebrated  Governor 
Yeh  of  Canton,  who  was  carried  prisoner  to  Calcutta. 
He  would  almost  be  forgotten  in  this  quarter  were  it 
not  for  a temple  erected  to  his  departed  spirit.  It  may 
be  seen  on  the  bank  of  a suburban  creek.  A very 
pretty  monument  it  is  to  remind  one  of  our  lively 
intercourse  with  the  notorious  Imperial  commissioner 
in  1857,  an  intercourse  marked  by  trouble  and  bloodshed 
throughout,  and  which  ended  in  the  capture  of  that 
unfortunate  official  in  an  obscure  yamen.  Yeh’s  temple 
is  a handsomely  finished,  pretty  edifice,  among  the  best 
of  its  kind  in  Canton,  and  it  conveys  to  a visitor  an 
excellent  notion  of  the  temple  architecture  now  in  vogue 
at  that  city. 

The  Fatee  gardens,  so  often  described,  are  still  to 


THE  FATEE  GARDENS. 


233 


be  found,  almost  unchanged,  at  the  side  of  a narrow 
creek  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  These  gardens 
are  native  nurseries  for  flowers,  dwarf  shrubs,  and 
trees.  Like  most  Chinese  gardens  they  cover  only  a 
small  area,  and  have  been  contrived  to  represent 
landscape  gardening  in  miniature.  Thus  the  walks 
are  intentionally  narrow.  Here  and  there  are  dwarf 
trees  and  stunted  shrubs,  little  rockeries  crowned 
with  temples  and  pagodas  equally  diminutive  in 
their  proportions,  while  small  pools  set  out  like  lakes 
are  spanned  with  dainty  little  marble  bridges  in  their 
narrower  parts.  In  the  Fatee  nurseries,  besides  rare 
and  beautiful  flowers,  a great  attraction  is  found  in 
the  shrubs  trained  to  form  small  barges,  dwellings, 
and  dragons  ; some  have  even  been  turned  into  bird- 
cages, where  living  birds  might  find  a more  congenial 
home  than  in  the  bamboo  cages  in  common  use.  It  is 
interesting  to  notice  the  dwarfing  of  trees.  An  or- 
dinary tree  is  selected,  and  around  a suitable  branch 
the  gardener  binds  a bag  of  mould,  which  he  is  careful 
to  keep  moist  until,  at  length,  the  branch  strikes  roots 
into  the  mould.  It  is  then  cut  from  the  parent  stem 
and  planted  to  form  the  trunk  of  the  dwarf,  that  soon 
bears  leaves,  and  flowers,  and  fruit. 

Some  distance  below  the  Fatee  creek,  on  the  same 
side  of  the  river,  a number  of  Tea  Hongs  and  tea-firing 
establishments  are  to  be  found.  To  these  I now 
venture  to  introduce  the  reader,  as  he  must  needs  feel 
more  or  less  interest  in  the  tea-men,  and  their  mode  of 
preparing  this  highly-prized  luxury.  Passing  up  the 
creek  along  the  usual  narrow  channel,  between  densely- 
packed  rows  of  floating  craft,  we  land  on  a broad  stone 
platform,  cross  a court  where  men  are  to  be  seen 


234 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


weighing  the  tea,  and  enter  a large  three-storied  brick 
building,  where  we  meet  ‘ Tan  Kin  Ching,’  the  pro- 
prietor, to  whom  we  bear  an  introduction  from  one  of 
his  foreign  customers.  One  of  the  clerks  is  directed 
to  show  us  over  the  place.  He  first  ushers  us  into 
a large  warehouse,  where  thousands  of  chests  of  the 
new  crop  are  piled  up,  ready  for  inspection  by  the 
buyer.  The  inspection  of  this  cargo  is  an  exceedingly 
simple  process.  The  foreign  tea-taster  enters  and 
places  his  mark  on  certain  boxes  in  different  parts  of 
the  pile.  These  are  forthwith  removed,  weighed,  and 
scrutinised  as  fair  samples  of  the  bulk.  The  whole 
cargo  is  shipped  without  further  ceremony  should  the 
parcels  examined  prove  satisfactory  ones ; and,  indeed, 
nowadays  it  seldom  happens  that  shortcomings  in 
weight  and  quality  are  at’  the  last  moment  detected, 
for  the  better  class  of  Chinese  merchants  are  remark- 
able for  their  honesty  and  fair  dealing.  I am  the  more 
anxious  thus  to  do  justice  to  the  Chinese  dealers, 
because  the  notion  has  recently  got  abroad  that,  as  a 
rule,  they  are  most  notorious  cheats  ; men  who  never 
fail  to  overreach  the  unsuspecting  trader  when  an 
opportunity  occurs,  and  upon  whose  shoulders  must 
fall  the  full  weight  of  the  charge  of  preparing  and 
selling  those  spurious  or  adulterated  teas  which  have 
recently  reached  this  country  in  a condition  not  fit  for 
human  food.  It  seems  clear  to  me  that  the  Chinese 
manufacturer  of  this  sort  of  rubbish  is  by  no  means 
the  most  reprehensible  party  in  the  trade.  He  it  is, 
indeed,  who  sets  himself  to  collect  from  the  servants  of 
foreigners  or  natives,  and  from  the  restaurants  and  tea- 
saloons,  the  leaves  that  have  been  already  used,  and 
to  dry  them,  cook  them,  and  mix  them  with  imitations  of 


THE  TEA  TRADE. 


235 


the  genuine  leaf.  This  process  completed,  he  next  adds 
pickings,  dust,  and  sweepings  from  the  tea-factory,  and 
mixes  the  whole  with  foreign  materials,  so  as  to  lend 
it  a healthy  surface  hue.  Lastly,  he  perfumes  the  lot 
with  some  sweet-smelling  flower — the  chloranthus,  olea, 
aglaia,  and  others ; and  thus  provides  a cheap,  fragrant, 
and  polluted  cup  for  the  humble  consumers  abroad. 
They,  poor  souls,  are  tempted  by  the  lowness  of  the 
cost;  while,  as  for  the  grocer  from  whom  they  buy 
their  pennies’-worths  of  the  dear  herb,  or  whatever  we 
ought  to  call  it,  he  probably  knows  about  as  much  of 
the  chemistry  of  tea  and  of  the  science  of  tea-tasting  as 
he  does  of  the  spectroscope  and  the  composition  of  a 
comet.  He  might  just  as  reasonably,  in  some  instances, 
be  fined  for  ignorance  of  the  chemistry  of  the  stars  as 
for  unacquaintance  with  the  properties  and  composition 
of  the  tea  he  sells.  I must  not,  however,  be  under- 
stood to  say  that  the  retail  dealer  is  ignorant  of  the 
market  value  of  the  tea  he  buys.  I only  affirm  that 
he  is  fairly  entitled  to  take  it  for  granted  that  tea  on 
which  duty  has  been  paid,  and  which  is  offered  to  him 
for  sale,  is  fit  for  human  food.  The  evil  will  only  be 
cured  when  the  market  for  such  stuff  is  closed  in  China, 
and  when  those  who  traffic  in  it  shall  be  content  to 
follow  the  legitimate  course  of  trade,  and  to  compete 
with  the  foreign  tea-merchants  who  are  armed  with  a 
staff  of  highly-trained,  honest  assistants,  and  who  buy 
only  what  they  themselves  know  to  be  sound  and 
good.  The  tea-trade  is  more  or  less  a speculative  one, 
always  full  of  risks  (as  some  of  our  merchants  have 
found  out  to  their  cost) ; and  though  a vast  amount  of 
foreign  capital  is  annually  invested  in  the  enterprise, 
it  is  probably  only  every  second  or  third  venture  that 

18 


2.36 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


will  return,  I do  not  say  a handsome  profit,  but  any 
profit  at  all. 

Tea-mixing  is  also  carried  on,  to  a certain  extent, 
at  home,  in  order  to  meet  the  taste  and  means  of 
European  consumers  ; but  the  materials  which  form 
the  spurious  class  of  teas  to  which  I have  already 
referred  are  brought  from  the  Central  Flowery  Land  ; 
and  it  may  be  set  down  as  a guide  to  the  public  that 
tea  pure  and  simple  cannot  be  sold  in  England  at  much 
under  two  shillings,  or  two  shillings  and  sixpence  a 
pound,  although  cheaper  teas  or  mixtures  may  at  the 
same  time  be  obtained  of  a perfectly  harmless  quality. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  another  apartment  and  see 
the  method  adopted  in  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder 
teas.  First  the  fresh  leaves  of  black  tea  are  partially 
dried  in  the  sun.  These  are  next  rolled  either  in  the 
palm  of  the  hand,  or  on  a flat  tray,  or  by  the  feet  in  a 
hempen  bag  ; then  they  are  scorched  in  hollow  iron 
pans  over  a charcoal  fire,  and  after  this  are  spread  out 
on  bamboo  trays,  that  the  broken  stems  and  refuse 
may  be  picked  out.  In  this  large  stone-paved  room  we 
notice  the  leaves  in  different  stages  of  preparation. 
The  labour  required  to  produce  the  gunpowder  leaf  is 
the  most  curious  and  interesting  of  the  many  processes 
to  which  the  plant  is  subjected.  We  are  surprised  to 
notice  a troop  of  able-bodied  coolies,  each  dressed  only 
in  a short  pair  of  cotton  trousers  tucked  up  so  as  to 
give  free  action  to  his  naked  limbs.  One  feels  puzzled 
at  first  to  conjecture  what  they  are  about.  Can  they 
be  at  work,  or  is  it  only  play  ? They  each  rest  their 
arms  on  a cross*  beam,  or  against  the  wall,  and  with 
their  feet  busily  roll  and  toss  balls  of  about  a foot  in 
diameter  (or  the  size  of  an  ordinary  football)  up  and 


SHAMEEN. 


237 


down  the  floor  of  the  room.  Our  guide  assures  us  it 
is  work  they  are  after,  and  very  hard  work  too.  I he 
balls  beneath  their  feet  are  the  bags  packed  full  of  tea 
leaves,  which  by  the  constant  rolling  motion  assume 
the  pellet  shape.  As  the  leaves  become  more  com- 
pact, the  bag  loosens  and  requires  to  be  twisted  up  at 
the  neck,  and  again  rolled  ; the  twisting  and  rolling 
being  repeated  until  the  leaf  has  become  perfectly 
globose.  It  is  then  divided  through  sieves  into 
different  sizes,  or  qualities,  and  the  scent  and  bouquet 
is  imparted  after  the  final  drying  or  scorching. 

Most  of  the  tea  shipped  from  Canton  is  now  grown 
in  the  province  of  Kwang-tung ; formerly  part  of  it  used 
to  be  brought  from  the  ‘ Tung-ting  ’ district,  but  that 
now  finds  its  way  to  Hankow.  Leaves  from  the 
Tai-shan  district  are  mostly  used  in  making  ‘ Canton 
District  Pekoe  ’ and  ‘ Long  Leaf  Scented  Orange 
Pekoe,’  while  Lo-ting  leaf  makes  * Scented  Caper  and 
Gunpowder  ’ teas. 

In  order  to  see  the  foreign  tea-tasters  prosecuting 
a branch  of  science  which  they  have  made  peculiarly 
their  own,  we  must  cross  the  river  to  Shameen,  a pretty 
little  green  island,  on  which  the  foreign  houses  stand  ; 
looking  with  its  villas,  gardens,  and  croquet-lawns,  like 
the  suburb  of  some  English  town.  There  is  a neat 
home-like  church  there,  too,  and  near  it  resides  the 
Archdeacon,  who  is  constantly  being  found  engaged 
in  some  tender-hearted  self-sacrificing  mission  to  the 
poor  foreign  sailors  that  frequent  the  port.  We  as- 
cend a flight  of  steps  in  a massive  stone  retaining  wall 
with  which  Shameen  is  surrounded  ; and  this  done,  we 
might  wander  for  a whole  day,  and  examine  all  the 
houses  on  the  island,  without  discovering  a trace  of  a 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


238 

merchant’s  office,  or  any  outward  sign  of  commerce  at 
all.  Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  factory  site,  and 
who  can  figure  what  that  must  have  been  in  olden 
times,  when  the  foreign  merchants  were  caged  up  like 
wild  beasts,  and  subjected  to  the  company  and  taunts 
of  the  vilest  part  of  the  river  population,  and  to  the 
pestilential  fumes  of  an  open  drain  that  carried  the 
sewage  of  the  city  to  the  stream,  will  be  surprised  at 
the  transformation  that  has,  since  those  days,  been 
wrought. 

The  present  residences  of  foreigners  on  this  grassy 
site  (reclaimed  mud  flat  raised  above  the  river)  are 
substantial  elegant  buildings  of  stone  or  brick,  sur- 
rounded each  by  a wall,  an  ornamental  railing,  or 
bamboo  hedge,  enclosing  the  gardens  and  outhouses  in 
its  circuit.  Except  the  firm’s  name  on  each  small  brass 
door-plate,  there  is  nothing  anywhere  that  tells  us  of 
trade.  But  when  we  have  entered,  we  find  the  dwell- 
ing-house on  the  upper  story,  and  the  comprador’s 
room  and  offices  on  the  ground-floor ; next  to  the 
offices,  the  tea-taster’s  apartment.  Ranged  against 
the  walls  of  this  chamber  are  rows  of  polished  shelves, 
covered  with  small  round  tin  boxes  of  a uniform  size, 
and  bearing  each  a label  and  date  in  Chinese  and 
English  writing.  These  boxes  contain  samples  of  all 
the  various  sorts  of  old  and  new  teas  used  for  reference 
and  comparison  in  tasting,  smelling,  and  scrutinising 
parcels,  or  chops,  which  may  be  offered  for  sale.  In 
the  centre  of  the  floor  stands  a long  table  bestrewed 
with  a multitude  of  white  porcelain  covered  cups, 
manufactured  specially  for  the  purpose  of  tasting  tea. 
The  samples  are  placed  in  these  cups,  and  hot  water  of 
a given  temperature  is  then  poured  upon  them.  The 


SPURIOUS  TEA. 


2 3‘J 

time  the  tea  rests  in  the  hot  water  is  measured  by  a 
sand-glass ; and  when  this  is  accomplished,  all  is  ready 
for  the  tasting,  which  is  a much  more  useful  than 
elegant  operation. 

• The  windows  of  the  room  have  a northern  aspect, 
and  are  screened  off  so  as  to  admit  only  a steady  sky- 
light, which  falls  directly  on  to  a tea-board  beneath. 
Upon  this  board  the  samples  are  spread  on  square 
wooden  trays,  and  it  is  under  the  uniform  light  above 
described  that  the  minute  inspection  of  colour,  make, 
general  appearance,  and  smell,  takes  place.  All  these 
tests  are  made  by  assistants  who  have  gone  through 
a special  course  of  training  which  fits  them  for  the 
mysteries  of  their  art.  The  knowledge  which  these 
experts  possess  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
merchant,  as  the  profitable  outcome  of  the  crops  selected 
for  the  home  market  depends,  to  a great  extent,  on 
their  judgment  and  ability.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
the  merchant,  not  only  when  he  chooses  his  teas  for 
exportation,  but  at  the  last  moment  before  they  are 
shipped,  takes  the  minutest  precautions  against  frau- 
dulent shortcomings  either  in  quality  or  weight.  It 
is  possible,  however,  for  a sound  tea,  if  undercooked, 
or  imperfectly  dried,  to  become  putrid  during  the  home- 
ward voyage,  and  to  reach  this  country  in  a condition 
quite  unfit  for  use.  This  I know  from  my  own  experi- 
ence. I at  one  time  was  presented  with  a box  of  tea  by 
the  Taotai  of  Taiwanfu  in  Formosa,  and  when  I first  got 
it  I found  that  some  of  the  leaves  had  a slightly  green 
tint,  and  were  damp.  I had  intended  to  bring  this  tea 
home  to  England  ; it  was  of  good  quality,  but  it  spoiled 
before  I left  China.  Judging  from  the  quantites  of  tea 
that  have  been  recently  condemned,  the  importation  of 


240 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


spurious  cargoes  can  hardly  be  a lucrative  trade,  and  it 
might  probably  be  done  away  with  altogether  were 
competent  public  inspectors  appointed  to  examine  every 
cargo  as  it  arrives. 

Although  Chinese  commercial  morality  has  not  run 
to  such  a very  low  ebb  as  some  might  imagine,  yet 
the  clever  traders  of  the  lower  orders  of  Cathay  are  by 
no  means  above  resorting  to  highly  questionable  and 
ingenious  practices  of  adulteration,  when  such  practices 
can  be  managed  with  safety  and  profit.  Thus  the 
foreign  merchant  finds  it  always  necessary  to  be  vigi- 
lant in  his  scrutiny  of  tea,  silk,  and  other  produce, 
before  effecting  a purchase.  But  equal  care  requires 
to  be  observed  in  all  money  transactions,  as  counterfeit 
coining  is  a profession  carried  on  in  Canton  with  mar- 
vellous success  ; so  successful,  indeed,  are  the  coiners 
of  false  dollars  that  the  native  experts,  or  schroffs,  who 
are  employed  by  foreign  merchants  (Mr.  W.  F.  Mayers 
assures  me),  are  taught  the  art  of  schroffing,  or  detect- 
ing counterfeit  coin,  by  men  who  are  in  direct  commu- 
nication with  the  coiners  of  the  spurious  dollars  in 
circulation. 

In  many  of  the  Canton  shops  one  notices  the  inti- 
mation ‘ Schroffing  taught  here.’  This  is  a curious 
system  of  corruption,  which  one  would  think  would  be 
worth  the  serious  attention  of  the  Government.  Were 
counterfeit  coining  put  down,  there  would  be  no  need 
for  the  crafty  instructors  of  schroffs  ; and  at  the  same 
time  the  expensive  staff  of  experts  employed  in  banks 
and  merchants’  offices  could  be  dispensed  with. 

But  the  dollar  in  the  hands  of  a needy  and  ingenious 
Chinaman  is  not  only  delightful  to  behold,  but  it 
admits  of  a manipulation  at  once  most  skilful  and 


SPURIOUS  DOLLARS. 


241 


profitable.  He  will  set  to  work  and  saw  it  in  two, 
rewarding  himself  for  his  patience  and  labour  by  appro- 
priating everything  but  the  silver  shell  and  super- 
scription. He  will  then  fill  up  the  two  halves  with 
baser  metal,  and  solder  them  together  in  such  a way 
that,  both  in  sound  and  appearance,  the  coin  will  seem 
good  to  all  but  the  trained  expert.  Devices  more 
daring  still  he  frequently  resorts  to,  when  only  the 
outer  mould  and  colour  of  the  dollar  are  furnished  to 
resemble  the  true  coin. 


24.2 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Canton — Its  general  Appearance — Its  Population — Streets — Shops — 
Mode  of  transacting  Business — Signboards — Work  and  Wages — The 
Willow-pattern  Bridge — Juilin,  Governor-General  of  the  two  Kwang — 
Clan  Fights — Hak-kas — The  Mystic  Pills — Dwellings  of  the  Poor — 
The  Lohang-tang — Buddhist  Monastic  Life — On  board  a Junk. 


Canton  is  by  no  means  the  densely  packed  London 
in  China  which  some  have  made  it  out  to  be.  The 
circuit  of  the  city  wall  very  little  exceeds  six  miles, 
and  if  we  stand  upon  the  heights  to  the  north  of  the 
city,  and  turn  our  faces  southward,  we  can  trace  the 
outline  of  these  fortifications  along  a considerable  por- 
tion of  their  course.  This,  then,  is  the  entire  area 
strictly  included  in  the  limits  of  the  town  ; but  there 
are  large  straggling  suburbs  outside  the  walls  which 
spread  for  no  little  distance  over  the  plain.  In  these 
suburbs  there  are  many  open  spaces.  Some,  shaded  by 
trees  and  orchards,  form  the  parks  and  gardens  of  the 
gentry  ; others,  again,  display  the  carefully  tended  pro- 
duce of  the  market-gardener  ; while  military  parade 
grounds,  rice-fields,  and  ponds  where  fish  are  bred,  are 
scattered  at  intervals  between  more  thickly  populated 
ground.  There  is,  indeed,  nothing  in  the  whole  picture 
of  this  southern  metropolis  suggestive  of  a teeming 
land  population,  save  the  centre  of  the  city  itself.  Hut 
to  the  south  of  the  wall  there  is  the  broad  Pearl  River, 
and  communicating  with  this  stream  a network  of 


PAWNSHOPS , CANTON. 


243 


canals  and  creeks,  the  whole  more  densely  populated 
perhaps  than  the  city.  In  the  boats  which  crowd  these 
water-ways  a vast  number  of  families  pass  their  lives, 
and  subsist  by  carrying  merchandise  or  conveying  pas- 
sengers to  different  parts  of  the  province.  The  popu- 
lation of  Canton  is  computed  at  about  a million  souls, 
although  the  official  census  returns  it  at  a figure  con- 
siderably higher. 

As  in  Peking,  so  at  Canton,  the  space  within  the 
walls  is  divided  into  two  unequal  parts,  the  one  occu- 
pied nominally  by  the  Tartar  garrison  and  official 
residences  only,  and  the  other  containing  the  abodes 
of  the  trading  Chinese  population.  But  the  descen- 
dants of  the  old  Tartar  soldiers,  too  proud  to  labour, 
and  too  haughty  to  stoop  themselves  to  the  mean 
artifices  of  trade,  have  become  impoverished  in  process 
of  time,  and  have  disposed  of  their  lands  and  dwellings 
to  their  more  industrious  Chinese  neighbours.  As  to 
the  houses  themselves,  they  everywhere  preserve  one 
uniform  low  level,  but  the  monotonous  appearance 
thus  produced  is  at  rare  interv  als  broken  by  some  tall 
temple  which  rears  its  carved  and  gilded  roof  from 
amid  a grove  of  venerable  trees,  or  by  the  nine-storied 
pagoda,  or  lofty  quadrangular  towers  that  mark  the 
pawnshop  sites.  The  pawnshops  in  this  strange  city 
rear  their  heads  heavenward  as  proudly  as  church 
steeples,  and  indeed  at  first  we  mistook  them  to  be 
temples.  What  was  our  surprise,  then,  to  discover  in 
them  the  Chinese  reproduction  of  that  money-lending 
establishment  which  is  found  in  the  shady  corners  of 
our  own  bye  streets,  beneath  a modest  trinity  of  gilded 
balls,  and  whose  private  side  entrance  stands  invitingly 
open — the  refuge  of  the  widow  or  the  fatherless,  when 


244 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


they  creep  thither  at  the  last  moment,  in  the  twilight,  to 
part  with  jewels  whose  paltry  lustre  perhaps  gleams  with 
many  a bright  memory  to  them.  But  there  is  no 
romance  about  these  Canton  pawnshops.  They  are 
square  bold-looking  edifices,  lifting  their  benevolent 
grey  brick  heads  to  a height  which  positively,  in  Chinese 
eyes,  invests  them  with  sanctity. 

Ah-sin,  and  Ah-lok,  indeed  look  up  with  something 
akin  to  veneration  at  their  plastered  walls,  narrow 
stanchioned  windows,  and  at  the  huge  rock  boulders 
poised  on  the  edge  of  the  roof  above,  ready  to  drop 
down  upon  any  robber  who  might  dare  to  scale  the 
treasure-sheltering  sides.  I recollect  visiting  one  of 
these  places  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  within,  and  to 
obtain  a view  of  the  city.  Armed  with  an  introduction 
from  a leading  Chinese  merchant,  I presented  myself 
one  morning  before  an  outer  gate  in  the  high  prison- 
looking wall  which  encircled  the  tower.  My  summons 
was  answered  by  a portly  gate-keeper,  who  at  once 
admitted  me  inside.  Here  I found  a number  of  military 
candidates  going  through  a course  of  drill ; the  porter 
was  himself  an  old  soldier,  a sort  of  drill-sergeant,  and 
was  now  instructing  pupils  in  the  use  of  the  bow,  and 
how  to  lift  up  heavy  weights.  After  exhibiting  one  or 
two  specimens  of  their  powers,  we  were  taken  to  a 
narrow  barred  gate  at  the  base  of  the  tower.  The 
office  for  transacting  business  was  on  the  ground-floor, 
and  above  this  a square  wooden  scaffolding,  standing 
free  of  the  walls,  ran  right  up  to  the  roof.  This  scaf- 
folding was  divided  into  a series  of  flats,  having  ladders 
which  lead  from  one  to  the  other;  the  bottom  flat  was 
used  for  stowing  pledges  of  the  greatest  bulk,  such  as 
furniture  or  produce  ; smaller  and  lighter  articles  occu- 
pied the  upper  flats,  while  the  one  nearest  the  roof 


THE  BRITISH  CONSULAR  YAMEN. 


245 


was  devoted  to  bullion  and  jewellery.  Every  pledge 
from  floor  to  ceiling  was  catalogued,  and  bore  a ticket 
denoting  the  number  of  the  article,  and  the  date  on 
which  it  was  deposited.  Thus  anything  could  be  found 
and  redeemed  at  a moment’s  notice.  Such  towers  are 
places  for  the  safe  custody  of  the  costly  gems  and  robes 
of  the  wealthy  classes  of  the  community,  and  are  really 
indispensable  institutions  in  a country  where  brigand- 
age and  misgovernment  expose  property  to  constant 
risks.  Besides  this,  a licensed  pawnbroking  establish- 
ment makes  temporary  advances  to  needy  persons  who 
may  have  security  to  lodge  ; the  charge  being  three, 
per  cent,  per  month  on  sums  under  ten  taels,  save  in 
the  last  month  of  the  year,  when  the  interest  is  reduced 
to  two  per  cent.  If  the  amount  of  the  loan  exceeds 
ten  taels,  the  rate  is  uniformly  two  per  cent,  per  month. 
The  pledges  are  kept  for  three  years  in  the  better  class 
of  pawnshops.  It  is  the  custom  of  the  poor  to  pawn 
their  winter  and  summer  clothing  alternately,  redeeming 
each  suit  as  it  may  be  required. 

Not  far  below  the  Heights  in  the  Tartar  quarter  of 
the  city,  is  the  British  Consulate  or  Yamen.  This  edifice 
stands  in  the  grounds  of  what  was  once  a palace,  and 
is  made  up  of  diverse  picturesque  Chinese  buildings, 
environed  by  a tastefully  laid  out  garden  and  deer  park. 
Hard  by  is  the  ancient  nine-storied  pagoda  ascribed  to 
the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Wu-Ti,  in  the  middle  of  the 
sixth  century  of  our  era.  It  is  octagonal  in  shape,  and 
170  feet  high.  In  1859  some  British  sailors,  weary  of 
shore  life,  and  longing  to  go  aloft,  managed,  at  the  risk 
of  their  necks,  to  scale  this  crazy-looking  monument — 
an  event  which  greatly  disgusted  the  Chinese,  for  they 
hate  to  have  their  dwellings  overlooked  from  a h eight, 


246 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


more  especially  by  a pack  of  foreign  fire-eating  sailors. 
Descending  from  the  height,  and  passing  southwards 
down  to  the  main  street  of  the  town,  we  are  struck  by 
the  appearance  of  the  closely-packed  shops,  which 
differ  from  anything  we  have  ever  seen  before.  We 
observe  that  the  folks  who  lounge  about,  even  in  the 
meanest  looking  dwellings,  are,  most  of  them,  good- 
looking — the  men  tall  and  shapely,  and  the  women 
in  no  instance  disfigured  by  small  bandaged  feet. 
There  are  also  a number  of  soldiers,  not  far  from  the 
parade  ground — fellows  who,  erect  and  muscular,  carry 
themselves  with  a dauntless  military  air.  These  are 
the  remnants  of  the  once  powerful  Tartar  camp.  They 
have  been  instructed  in  foreign  drill,  and  are  said 
to  make  good  soldiers.  They  certainly  contrast 
favourably  with  many  of  the  troops  I saw  in  other 
quarters  of  the  Empire.  As  to  the  shopkeepers,  they 
are  all  Chinese,  but  their  small-footed  consorts  are 
nowhere  to  be  seen ; the  fact  is,  they  keep  them 
strictly  secluded.  Some  of  these  handsome  Tartar 
matrons  have  their  children  seated  in  bamboo  cages 
at  their  doors,  and  pretty  little  birds  they  make,  too. 

One  is  almost  bewildered  by  the  diversity  of  shops, 
and  the  attractive  wares  which  they  display.  There 
are  so  many  things  that  one  would  like  to  carry  home. 
Everything  is  so  beautiful,  everything  so  costly,  and 
not  unfrequently  cumbrous  too.  Then  the  shop- 
keepers are  so  very  fascinating  in  their  manners. 
Have  a good  look  at  them  ; they  are  about  the  best 
class  of  men  in  China — honest,  industrious,  contented, 
and  refined  too,  some  of  them.  A short  time  back  a 
curious  though  not  uncommon  sort  of  lottery  was  got 
up  among  the  shop  keepers  of  Canton.1  Wang-leang- 
1 See  China  Review , 1873,  p.  249. 


SHOPKEEPERS. 


247 


chai,  of  the  Juy-Chang  boot  shop  in  Ma-an  street,  seized 
with  a passion  for  poetry,  organised  a sort  of  literary 
lottery,  and  offered  the  stakes  as  prizes  to  the  suc- 
cessful composer  of  the  best  lines  on  five  selected 
subjects. 

Frequently,  on  entering  a Canton  shop,  you  will 
find  its  owner  with  a book  in  one  hand  and  a pipe 
or  a fan  in  the  other,  and  wholly  absorbed  in  his 
studies.  You  will  be  doomed  to  disappointment  if  you 
expect  the  smoker  to  start  up  at  once,  all  smiles  and 
blandness,  rubbing  his  hands  together  as  he  makes 
a shrewd  guess  of  what  he  is  likely  to  take  out  of 
you,  and  receiving  you  obsequiously  or  with  rudeness 
accordingly.  Quite  the  reverse ! Your  presence  is  ap- 
parently unnoticed,  unless  you  happen  to  lift  anything  ; 
then  you  hear  that  the  fan  has  been  arrested,  and  feel 
that  a keen  eye  is  bent  on  your  movements  all  the 
while.  But  it  is  not  till  you  enquire  for  some  article 
that  the  gentleman,  now  certain  you  mean  to  trade, 
will  rise  without  bustle  from  his  seat — show  you  his 
goods,  or  state  the  price  he  means  to  sell  at — with  a 
polite  yet  careless  air  which  plainly  says  ‘ If  it  suits  you, 
we  make  an  exchange,  I take  the  money,  you  the 
goods,  conferring  a mutual  benefit  on  each  other  : but  if 
not  agreeable,  depart  and  leave  me  to  my  pipe  and 
book.’  After  all,  by  adhering  to  this  independent  style, 
I believe  they  sell  more,  and  make  better  profits,  than 
if  they  were  perpetually  soliciting  patronage  by  word 
and  gesture.  On  our  way  homewards  we  pass  through 
Ph>  rsic  Street,  or  Tsiang-Lan-Kiai.  Here  the  shops  are 
nearly  all  uniform  in  size,  a brick  party-wall  dividing 
each  building  from  its  neighbour.  All  have  one  front 
apartment  open  to  the  street,  with  a granite  or  brick 


248 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


counter  for  the  display  of  their  wares.  A granite  base 
also  supports  the  tall  upright  signboard,  the  indispen- 
sable characteristic  of  every  shop  in  China.  Opposite 
the  signboard  stands  a small  altar  or  shrine,  dedicated 
to  the  god  who  presides  over  the  tradesman  and  his 
craft.  This  deity  is  honoured  regularly  when  the  shop 
is  opened,  and  a small  incense-stick  is  lighted,  and  kept 
burning  in  a bronze  cup  of  ashes  placed  in  front  of  the 
shrine. 

The  shops  within  are  frequently  fitted  with  a 
counter  of  finely-polished  wood  and  finely-carved 
shelves,  while  at  the  back  is  an  accountant’s  room, 
screened  off  with  an  open-work  wooden  partition,  so 
carved  as  to  resemble  a climbing  plant.  In  some 
conspicuous  place  stand  the  brazen  scales  and  weights, 
ever  brightly  polished,  and  adorned  with  red  cloth. 
These  scales  are  used  for  weighing  the  silver-coin 
bars,  and  fragments  of  the  precious  metal,  which  form 
part  of  the  currency  of  the  place.  When  goods  are 
sold  by  weight,  the  customer  invariably  brings  his  own 
balance,  so  as  to  secure  his  fair  and  just  portion  of  the 
article  he  has  come  to  buy.  This  balance  is  not  unlike 
an  ordinary  yard-measuring  rod,  furnished  with  a 
sliding  weight.  It  is  a simple  application  of  the  lever. 
But  the  tendency  of  this  simple  mechanical  contrivance 
is  not  calculated  to  elevate  the  Chinese  in  our  estimation. 
It  proves  a universal  lack  of  confidence,  which  finds  its 
way  down  to  the  lowest  details  of  petty  trade,  for 
which  the  governing  classes  may  take  to  themselves 
credit.  The  people  are  in  this,  as  in  many  other 
matters,  a law  unto  themselves.  A ceaseless  struggle 
against  unfair  dealing  has,  therefore,  like  other  native 
institutions,  become  a stereotyped  necessity. 


A STREET  IN  CANTON 


SIGNBOARDS. 


249 


It  is  by  no  means  pleasant  to  be  caught  in  one  of 
these  narrow  streets  during  a shower,  as  the  water 
pours  down  in  torrents  from  the  roofs  and  floods  the 
pavement,  until  it  subsides  through  the  soil  beneath. 
The  broadest  streets  are  narrow,  and  shaded  above,  in 
some  places,  with  screens  of  matting,  to  keep  out  the 
sun.  So  close,  indeed,  are  the  roofs  to  each  other  in 
the  Chinese  city,  that,  viewed  from  a distance,  they 
look  like  one  uninterrupted  covering — a space  entirely 
tiled  over,  beneath  which  the  citizens  sedulously 
conceal  themselves  until  the  cool  of  the  evening, 
when  weary  of  the  darkness  and  of  the  trade  and 
strife  of  the  day,  they  swarm  on  the  housetops  to 
gamble,  or  smoke,  or  sip  their  tea  until  the  shades  of 
night  fall,  and  they  retire  again  to  the  lower  regions, 
to  sleep  on  the  cool  benches  of  their  shops. 

The  signboards  of  Cantonese  shops  are  not  only  the 
pride  of  their  owners,  but  they  are  a delight  to  students 
of  Chinese.  The  signboards  in  the  engraving  may 
be  taken  as  fair  examples  of  Chinese  street  literature. 
In  the  high-flown  classical,  or  poetical  phrases  by 
which  public  attention  is  drawn  to  the  various  shops, 
one  fails  to  see,  in  most  instances,  the  faintest  refer- 
ence to  the  contents  of  the  establishment.  Thus, 
a tradesman  who  sells  swallows’  nests  for  making 
soup,  has  on  his  board  simply  characters  signify- 
ing Yun-Ki,  sign  of  the  Eternal.  But  here  is  a list, 
translated  by  Mr.  W.  F.  Mayers  from  the  signboards 
in  the  picture. 

Kien  Ki  Hao — the  sign  of  the  symbol  Kien 
(Heaven)  Hwei-chow,  ink,  pencils,  and  writing  ma- 
terials. This  is,  indeed,  a very  high  compliment  to 
literature. 


19 


250 


INDO-CHINA  AJVD  CHINA. 


Chang  Tsi  Tang  (Chang  of  the  family  branch 
designated  Tsi).  Wax,  cased  pills  of  select  manu- 
facture. Chang  is  evidently  proud  of  his  family  con- 
nection, and  probably  offers  it  as  a sufficient  guarantee 
for  the  quality  of  his  pills. 

Tien  Yih  (Celestial  advantage).  Table-covers, 
cushions  for  chairs,  and  divans  for  sale.  Now  what 
‘ Celestial  advantage  ’ can  a customer  be  supposed  to 
derive  from  table-covers  or  cushions,  unless,  indeed, 
one  supposes  that  the  downy  ease  conferred  by  the 
use  of  these  cushions  is  almost  beyond  the  sphere  of 
terrestrial  enjoyment.  There  must  be  some  notion  of 
this  sort  associated  with  upholsterers’  shops,  as  we 
have  here  another  sign  embodying  a high-flown  phrase, 
flavoured  with  a little  common  sense. 

Tien  Yih  Shen  (Celestial  advantage  combined  with 
attention).  Shop  for  the  sale  of  cushions  and  ratan 
mats. 

Yung  Ki  (sign  of  the  Eternal).  Swallows’  nests. 
Money-schroffing  taught  here. 

K’ing  Wen  T’a’ng  (the  hall  of  delight  in  scholar- 
ship). Seals  artistically  engraved. 

Notwithstanding  the  narrowness  of  the  streets  of 
Canton,  they  are  extremely  picturesque  ; more  espe- 
cially those  in  which  we  find  the  old  curiosity-shops, 
the  silversmiths,  and  the  silk-mercers  ; where  the  sign- 
boards present  a most  attractive  display  of  brilliant 
and  varied  colours,  as,  indeed,  in  the  one  through 
which  we  have  just  been  passing. 

Striking  thence  by  a narrow  alley  into  a back  lane, 
we  find  ourselves  in  a very  poor  neighbourhood,  with 
dingy,  dirty  hovels  filled  with  operatives,  who  are 
busily  at  work  ; some  weaving  silk  ; others  embroider- 


WORK  AND  WAGES. 


25T 

ing  satin  robes  ; others,  again,  carving  and  turning  the 
ivory  balls  and  curios  which  are  the  admiration  of 
foreigners.  Entering  one  shop,  we  are  shown  an 
elaborately  carved  series  of  nine  ivory  balls,  one 
within  the  other.  It  is  commonly  believed  that  these 
balls  are  first  carved  in  halves,  and  then  joined  to- 
gether so  perfectly  as  to  look  solid.  But  as  we  watch 
a man  working  on  one  of  them  the  mystery  is 
gradually  solved.  The  rough  piece  of  solid  ivory  is 
first  cut  into  a ball  ; it  is  then  fixed  into  a primitive- 
looking lathe,  and  turned  with  a sharp  tool  in  various 
positions,  until  it  becomes  perfectly  round.  It  is  then 
set  again  in  the  lathe  and  drilled  with  the  requisite 
number  of  holes  all  round.  After  this  one  hole  is 
centred,  a tool  bent  at  the  end  is  passed  in,  and  with  this 
a groove  is  produced  near  the  heart  of  the  sphere  ; 
another  hole  is  then  centred,  and  after  that  another ; 
the  same  operation  being  carried  out  with  all  the 
holes  until  all  the  grooves  meet,  and  a small  ball 
drops  into  the  centre.  In  this  way  all  the  balls  one 
within  the  other  are  ultimately  released.  The  next 
operation  is  carving  the  innermost  ball  ; this  is  accom- 
plished by  means  of  long  drills  and  other  delicate 
tools  and  in  the  same  way  all  the  rest  of  the  balls  are 
carved  in  succession,  the  carving  gradually  becoming 
more  easy  and  elaborate  until  the  outside  ball  is 
reached,  and  this  is  then  finished  with  a delicate  beauty 
that  resembles  the  finer  sorts  of  lace.  Close  by  these 
ivory-turners  are  men  designing  patterns  for  em- 
broidery, and  shops  full  of  children,  sewing  the  most 
beautiful  patterns  of  birds,  butterflies,  and  flowers  on 
satin  robes.  The  wages  of  the  people  who  do  this 
lovely  work  are  very  small  indeed.  The  artist  who 


252 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


furnishes  the  designs  receives  about  il.  5^.  a month, 
and  the  following  table  gives  the  average  at  which 
skilled  labourers  are  paid. 


Shoemaker 

£ 

s 

15 

d 

0 a month,  with  food. 

Blacksmith 

1 

0 

0 „ 

First-class  ivory  carver  . 

. 2 

8 

0 „ 

Skilled  embroiderer 

15 

0 

Silversmith 

. 1 

12 

0 „ 

Painter  .... 

18 

0 

It  takes  about  ten  days  to  complete  the  embroidery 
of  a pair  of  shoes  ; and  these,  when  soled  and  finished, 
fetch  fifteen  shillings  a pair.  The  wages  of  the  em- 
broiderer, according  to  this  calculation,  would  amount  to 
six  shillings  or  thereabout,  and  the  balance,  to  cover 
cost  of  material  and  making,  would  leave  but  a modest 
profit  to  the  master  ; but  then  embroidered  shoes  are  in 
constant  demand,  and  a lady  of  rank  will  require  some 
thirty  pair  for  her  marriage  trousseau  alone.  Some 
ladies  embroider  their  own  shoes,  but  the  practice  is 
by  no  means  a common  one.  The  dress  shoes  of  the 
men  are  embroidered  too,  and  are  used  by  all  except 
the  poorest  class.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing 
notes  that  skilled  labour  is  so  cheap  in  China  as  to 
give  artisans  a great  advantage  in  all  those  various 
branches  of  native  industry  which  find  a market 
abroad  ; and  this  will  one  day  render  the  clever,  careful, 
and  patient  Chinaman  a formidable  rival  to  European 
manufacturers,  when  he  has  learned  to  use  machinery 
in  weaving  fabrics  of  cotton  or  silk. 

Many  of  the  beautifully  embroidered  stuffs  we  see 
in  our  shops  at  home  are  made  by  hand  in  China,  and 
yet  they  can  be  sold  in  London  at  prices  that  defy 
competition.  The  opposition  to  the  introduction  of 
the  machines  used  in  Bradford  and  Manchester  comes 


SKILLED  LABOUR. 


253 


mostly  from  the  operatives  themselves.  The  masters, 
who  understand  the  foreign  markets,  would  many  of 
them  be  glad  to  set  up  European  looms,  and  even  to 
use  steam  to  drive  them.  But  the  poor  operatives, 
who  earn  their  miserable  pittance  by  their  handwork, 
would  strike  and  starve  rather  than  tolerate  two  or 
three  new  wheels  and  spindles,  which,  as  they  believe, 
would  throw  them  out  of  employment.  I was  assured 
by  one  Chinese  silk  merchant  who  accompanied  me  to 
his  factory  in  the  country,  that  he  once  tried  to  in- 
troduce a foreign  contrivance  to  his  reeling  machines ; 
but  his  people  left  him  in  a body,  and  perseverance  in 
the  innovation  would  simply  have  involved  him  in 
ruin — so  at  least  he  said.  This  gentleman  employed 
the  greater  portion  of  the  men,  women,  and  children,  of 
a whole  village — a rare  thing  in  China,  where  labour  is 
so  minutely  divided,  and  where  nearly  every  house- 
holder is  his  own  master.  But  these  villagers  were 
only  hired  to  reel  and  dress  the  silk  during  certain 
months  of  the  year  ; and  they,  most  of  them,  had  small 
farms  where  they  cultivated  the  raw  silk  on  their  own 
account.  It  is  perfectly  astonishing  to  see  what  these 
Cantonese  can  accomplish  on  their  own  inferior  looms. 
Give  them  almost  any  pattern  or  design,  and  they  will 
contrive  to  weave  it,  imitating  its  imperfections  with 
as  much  exactness  as  its  beauties.  I like  to  linger 
over  these  shops,  and  to  medit  ite  on  these  scenes  of 
ceaseless  industry,  where  all  goes  on  with  a quiet 
harmony  that  has  a strange  fascination  for  the  observer. 
Amid  all  the  evidences  of  toil,  the  poorest  has  some 
leisure  at  his  command.  Then,  seated  on  a bench  or 
squatting  tranquilly  on  the  ground,  he  will  smoke  or 
chat  with  his  neighbour,  untroubled  by  the  presence  ol 


254 


IND  O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


his  good-natured  employer,  who  seems  to  grow  fatter 
and  wealthier  on  the  smiles  and  happy  temperament 
of  his  workmen.  Here,  too,  one  can  see  how  the 
nucleus  of  this  great  city  is  more  closely  populated 
than  at  first  sight  one  would  suppose.  Most  of  the 
workshops  are  kitchen,  dining-room,  and  bed-room  too  ; 
here,  the  workpeople  breakfast  on  their  benches  ; here, 
at  nightfall,  they  stretch  themselves  out  to  sleep.  Their 
whole  worldly  wealth  is  stored  here  too.  An  extra 
jacket,  a pipe,  a few  ornaments  which  are  used  in 
common,  and  a pair  of  chopsticks — these  make  up  each 
man’s  total  worldly  pelf  ; and,  indeed,  his  greatest  trea- 
sures he  carries  with  him — a stock  of  health  and  a 
happy  contented  mind.  Surely,  one  would  think,  such 
men  as  these,  accustomed  to  nothing  but  endless  toil 
and  simple  fare,  would  be  tolerably  wretched  at  times ; 
that  there  would  be  moments  when  they  would  call 
to  mind  their  barren  prospects,  and  resolve  to  make  a 
struggle  to  raise  themselves  above  their  fellows.  But 
then  we  must  recollect  that  Chinamen,  for  'the  most 
part,  only  become  wretched  and  ambitious  when  they 
leave  home  and  go  to  a foreign  country.  Here,  in  their 
own  land,  they  seem  to  think  little  about  the  future, 
save  when  some  one  among  them,  more  provident  than 
the  rest,  hoards  up  cash,  and  invests  in  a coffin  for  use 
after  his  own  decease.  The  Chinese  operative  is  com- 
pletely content  if  he  escape  the  pangs  of  hunger, 
endowed  with  health  sufficient  to  enable  him  simply  to 
enjoy  the  sense  of  living,  and  of  living,  too,  in  a land 
so  perfect  that  a human  being  ought  to  be  happy  in 
the  privilege  of  residing  there  at  all.  It  is  a land,  so 
they  seem  to  suppose,  wherein  everything  is  settled  and 
ordered  by  men  who  know  exactly  what  they  ought  to 


PAVILION  IN  PUN-TING-QUA’S  GARDEN 


CHINESE  AMBITION. 


255 


know,  and  who  are  paid  to  keep  people  from  rising,  or 
ambitiously  seeking  to  quit  the  groove  in  which  Pro- 
vidence placed  them  at  their  birth.  Many  will  say 
that  the  Chinaman  is  not  without  ambition,  and  in  a 
sense  they  will  be  right.  Parents  are  ambitious  to 
educate  their  children,  and  to  qualify  them  for  candida- 
ture at  the  Government  examinations ; and  there  are 
probably  no  men  who  lust  more  after  power,  wealth, 
and  place  than  the  successful  Chinese  graduates,  simply 
because  they  know  that  there  is  no  limit  to  their  pros- 
pects. If  they  have  interest  and  genius,  the  poorest  of 
them  may  fairly  aspire  to  become  a member  of  the 
Imperial  Cabinet ; but  then  these  are  the  men  of  letters, 
and  not  the  poor  labouring  masses,  the  populace  whom 
I have  just  described. 

Before  I quit  Canton  I must  give  some  account  of  a 
spot  there  which  I visited  more  than  once,  and  which  is 
commonly  known  as  the  garden  of  Pun-ting-qua.  Pun- 
ting-qua  or  Pun-shi-cheng,  the  original  owner,  had  been 
a wealthy  merchant  at  Canton,  but  his  Government  ulti- 
mately drained  him  of  his  wealth,  by  compelling  him  to 
pay  a certain  fixed  sum  for  the  monopoly  of  the  trade  in 
salt.  Falling  into  heavy  arrears,  and  being  unable  to 
raise  the  amount,  his  property  was  sequestrated,  and 
his  splendid  garden  raffled  in  a public  lottery.  A notable 
instance,  this,  of  the  danger  of  becoming  too  rich  in 
China.  His  house,  a singularly  beautiful  place,  was  sold 
to  the  anti-foreign  anti-missionary  society  of  Canton  ; 
and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  to  this  quaint  pleasure- 
ground  traces  of  decay  had  already  set  their  stamp 
upon  the  curious  structures  that  adorned  it.  I first 
made  my  way  up  Sulphur  Creek,  which  sweeps  round 
to  the  west  of  the  city,  and  passed  many  a strange 


256 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


crazy-looking  edifice  rising  above  the  dull  water,  and 
bending  over  a frail  wooden  jetty  which  divided  it  from 
the  stream.  Most  of  these  jetties  were  themselves 
decayed,  and  had  been  propped  up  only  at  the  last 
moment,  as  their  green  mouldy  timbers  were  about  to 
settle  down  and  bury  themselves  in  the  muddy  bed  of 
the  creek.  Small  barred  windows  pierce  the  gaunt 
walls  of  the  moss-covered  brick  buildings,  and  sundry 
garments  dangle  from  bamboos  and  ropes,  which  are 
stretched  from  wall  to  wall.  Women  are  washing,  and 
children  sit  upon  the  steps  and  jetties  in  a way  that 
makes  one  tremble  for  their  safety.  Dogs  bark  and 
snarl  at  the  doorways,  domesticated  pigs  or  fowls  look 
out  upon  the  throng  of  boats,  while  the  men  are  busy 
dipping  dark  blue  cotton  fabrics  into  the  stream.  A 
three-storied  pagoda  marks  the  site  of  Pun-ting-qua’s 
garden,  which  we  enter  through  a gateway  in  the  outer 
wall.  Once  arrived  inside,  we  seem  for  the  first  time 
to  realise  the  China  pictured  to  us  in  our  schoolboy 
days.  Here  we  see  model  Chinese  gardening ; droop- 
ing willows,  shady  walks,  and  sunny  lotus-pools,  on 
which  gilded  barges  float.  Here,  too,  spanning  a lake, 
stands  the  well  known  willow-pattern  bridge,  with  a 
pavilion  hard  by.  But  we  miss  the  two  love-birds ; 
there  is  no  dutiful  parent,  with  the  fishtail  feet,  leisurely, 
and  with  lamp  in  hand,  pursuing  his  unfilial  daughter  as 
she,  with  equal  leisure,  makes  her  way  after  the  shepherd 
with  the  crook.  I photographed  this  willow-pattern 
bridge,  but  when  I look  at  my  picture,  I find  it  falls 
far  short  of  the  scene  on  our  soup-plates.  Where,  for 
example,  is  the  pavilion  which  is  all  ornaments,  the  tree 
above  it  which  grows  nothing  but  foot-balls,  and  that 
other  tree,  too,  on  which  only  feathers  bloom.  Where 


THF,  W1T.T  OW  PATTFRN  RRTDr.F 


JUILIN. 


257 


is  the  fence  that  meanders  across  the  platform  in  the 
foreground  ? And  yet  these  gardens  have  a quaintness 
all  their  own.  Their  winding  paths  conduct  to  cleverly 
contrived  retreats ; and  tunnels  cut  through  mossy 
fern-covered  rocks  land  us  in  some  pavilion  or  theatre, 
on  the  edge  of  a glassy  pool,  where  gold  fish  sport  in 
the  sunshine,  and  glistening  frogs  sit  gravely  on  broad 
dew-spangled  lotus-leaves  ; or  else  we  discover  some 
spacious  open  saloon,  where  a party  of  native  gentle- 
men, seated  on  square,  cool,  marble-bottomed,  ebony 
chairs,  enjoy  a repast  of  tea  or  cake,  or  listen  to  the 
strumming  of  a lute,  and  to  the  shrill  song  of  some 
lady  in  attendance. 

Juilin,  the  governor  of  the  province  of  which 
Canton  is  the  capital,  and  of  the  adjoining  province  of 
Kwang-si  as  well,  is  an  officer  who  has  seen  distin 
guished  service,  and  one  as  widely  known  to  Europeans 
as  any  dignitary  in  China.  A man  of  singular  ad- 
ministrative ability,  he  has  done  much  to  promote  the 
prosperity  of  the  provinces  which  he  controls,  and  it  is 
probably  owing,  in  a great  measure,  to  his  influence  that 
peaceful  relations  with  foreign  nations  have  been  so 
well  maintained.  Besides  this,  he  had  organised  a 
steam  gunboat  service,  which  had  already  made  its 
presente  felt  among  the  pirate  vessels  on  the  coasts. 
Juilin  is  a Manchu  by  birth,  and  at  an  early  age  was 
employed  in  public  functions  at  the  capital.  Here  he 
won  the  goodwill  of  the  Emperor  Tao  Kwang,  and  rose 
to  be  cabinet  minister.  He  was  afterwards  degraded, 
owing  to  the  defeat  of  the  Chinese  troops  at  Pa-li  Chiao, 
when  the  allied  forces  made  their  advance  upon  Pekin, 
but  was  subsequently  restored  to  favour  and  appointed 
general  of  the  Tartar  garrison  of  Canton.  From  this 


258 


DVD  O- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


post  he  was  transferred  shortly  afterwards  to  the  office 
which  he  at  present  holds.  His  career  as  governor- 
general  has  been  marked  by  signs  of  progress  and  by 
an  enlightened  or  even  liberal  policy.  He  has  restored 
order  in  the  distracted  district  near  Chao-chow-fu,  and 
rendered  life  and  property  secure  there,  successfully 
suppressing  the  village  clans  which  for  many  years 
previously  had  set  all  authority  at  defiance.  These 
villages  were  each  like  a garrisoned  fortress,  inhabited 
by  one  large  family  or  clan,  and  at  feud  with  all  the 
other  surrounding  villages  and  clans.  Thus  wars  on  a 
tiny  scale  were  for  ever  being  carried  on,  the  youths 
of  the  villages  being  the  fighting  men,  and  their  pay 
being  provided  by  the  elders. 

When  in  Chao-chow-fu  I visited  several  of  these 
villages,  and  got  some  notion  of  their  style  of  fighting. 
Those  unfortunates  who  were  carried  off  as  prisoners 
of  war  were  frequently  detained  in  slavery,  or  met  a 
fate  even  worse  than  this,  for  their  captors  would 
dispose  of  them  to  be  sent,  as  involuntary  emigrants,  to 
foreign  shores.  At  harvest-time  one  village  would 
make  a midnight  raid  upon  its  neighbour,  and  carry  off 
all  the  crops  ; and  at  Sinchew  I found  an  old  fe  d 
existing  between  that  village  and  a number  of  smaller 
hamlets.  One  Aching  and  his  brother,  tired  at  last  of 
fighting,  and  of  being  constantly  interrupted  in  more 
peaceful  and  profitable  pursuits,  resolved  to  go  into  the 
Fukien  Province,  and  there  to  seek  for  work.  With 
their  bundles  on  their  backs  they  started  from  their 
native  place,  but  halted  when  not  far  on  their  journey 
to  fish  in  a neighbouring  stream.  While  thus  engaged, 
a boat  full  of  their  enemies  carefully  disguised  made  its 
approach,  and  one  of  the  crew  offered  to  buy  their 


VILLAGE  WARFARE. 


259 


stock  of  fish.  The  two  brothers  falling  into  the  snare, 
were  thus  carried  off  to  the  hostile  village,  and  there 
killed  and  mutilated  in  an  open  space  in  front  of  the 
settlement.  Aching’s  heart  was  cut  out,  boiled,  and 
eaten  by  his  savage  captors,  under  the  notion  that  they 
would  become  more  daring  and  bloodthirsty  in  conse- 
quence of  this  revolting  deed.  This  occurred  in  1869. 
Another  example  of  native  treachery  and  cunning  will 
suffice.  Two  men  of  opposite  clans  had  made  up  their 
minds  to  quit  the  province  with  the  loot  they  had 
gained  in  war  ; they,  both  of  them,  went  to  Ch'eng-lin  at 
the  same  time,  in  search  of  the  same  object,  viz.  a boat. 
The  one,  hearing  of  the  other’s  presence,  hired  a 
number  of  ruffians  to  slay  him,  promising  them  six 
pounds  for  his  enemy’s  head  and  heart.  The  gang, 
tempted  to  the  crime  by  the  prospect  of  this  liberal 
reward,  soon  caught  their  man  ; but  he,  enquiring  how 
much  they  were  to  receive  for  his  head,  at  once  offered 
them,  on  better  security,  double  terms  for  the  capture 
of  his  crafty  foe.  They  had  no  hesitation  in  accepting 
the  proposal,  and  it  was  their  first  employer,  therefore, 
who  fell  a victim  to  their  guile.  In  the  end  a small 
army  was  sent  into  the  provinces,  and  all  who  refused 
to  come  to  terms,  and  obey  the  law,  were  mercilessly 
put  to  the  sword.  So  it  came  about  that  at  the  time  I 
visited  the  place  a well-dressed  man  might  walk  abroad, 
and  no  longer  fear  lest  he  be  stripped  and  sent  adrift 
without  a rag  to  cover  him,  or  else  sold  into  slavery  or 
even  killed. 

There  is  a hardy  race  of  people  found  in  this  and 
several  other  districts.  These  are  known  as  Hak-kas, 
and  some  are  of  opinion  that  they  are  a people  distinct 
from  the  Chinese,  as  they  speak  a language  of  their  own, 


260 


IND  O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  resemble  Indians  in  physical  appearance,  rather  than 
the  Chinese  type.  Others,  again,  hold  that  the  Hak-kas 
emigrated  some  eight  hundred  years  ago  from  the  Ning- 
hwa  district  in  the  Fukien  province,  and  a recent  writer  in 
the  ‘ China  Review  ’ undertakes  to  prove  from  the  Hak- 
kas  family  records  that  Ning-hwa  was  really  their  original 
home.  Be  their  origin  what  it  may,  they  have  carved  out 
an  important  place  for  themselves  in  the  rich  province 
of  Kwangtung.  I also  met  them  increasing,  multiplying 
and  spreading  their  industry  in  the  island  of  Formosa. 
It  was  they  who,  having  no  sympathies  in  common 
with  the  Puntis  of  Canton,  formed  the  Coolie  corps  to 
the  allied  troops,  and  won  a high  reputation  for  perse- 
verance and  bravery.  They  have  even  been  known  to 
rescue  British  soldiers,  when  wounded  and  drowning, 
amid  a perfect  storm  of  bullets.  Dr.  Eitel,  who 
laboured  among  them  for  many  years,  and  who  kindly 
furnished  me  with  some  of  his  experiences,  described 
them  as  the  hardest  workers  and  the  most  industrious 
men  i 1 Kwangtung  ; and  when  the  interests  of  Hak- 
kas  and  Puntis,  or  natives  of  the  province,  clashed,  the 
former  have  always  distinguished  themselves  by  their 
readiness  to  fight  For  more  than  two  centuries  a 
stream  of  Hak-ka  emigration  has  been  flowing  into 
the  Ka-ying-chow  department,  taking  its  course  more 
especially  through  the  mountainous  and  thinly  popu- 
lated parts.  This  movement  is  still  going  on. 

The  process,  in  individual  cases,  is  more  or  less  as 
follows.  A couple  of  Hak-kas  come  to  a Punti 
village,  and  there  they  hire  themselves  out  to  labour 
on  the  farm.  In  process  of  time,  when  they  have  laid 
up  a little  money,  they  rent  a few  acres  of  mountain 
land,  or  unredeemed  bog.  The  insecurity  caused  by 


HAK-KAS. 


261 


robbers  and  banditti  makes  it  difficult  in  sparsely 
populated  districts  to  cultivate  land  far  from  a village. 
The  Hak-kas,  therefore,  easily  find  landowners  willing 
to  rent  their  outlying  acres  at  a merely  nominal  rate. 
All  further  difficulties  are  gradually  overcome,  and  at 
last  the  persevering  Hak-kas  send  for  their  families 
and  friends,  and  settle  down  in  mud  huts,  which  they 
build  like  forts,  surrounding  them  with  ditches,  with 
thorny  thickets,  and  impenetrable  bamboo.  Success 
in  most  cases  follows,  the  hamlet  grows  rapidly,  and 
a flock  of  immigrants  from  their  native  province  crowd 
in  to  plant  a settlement  in  the  neighbourhood.  These 
scattered  settlements  form  a confederation  among 
themselves,  and  forthwith  demand  a reduction  of  the 
ground  rent.  If  this  be  not  acceeded  to,  things  will 
progress  pleasantly  for  a short  time  longer,  until  the 
confederation  feels  itself  strong  enough  to  wage  war 
with  the  original  owners,  and  refuse  to  pay  any  rent. 
But,  lest  the  Government  should  interfere,  they  are 
careful  to  inform  the  mandarins  beforehand  that  they 
will  pay  lawful  ground-rent  to  them.  Besides,  in  many 
public  offices  in  the  Kwangtung  province,  the  subordi- 
nate employes  are  Hak-kas.  This  always  enables  them 
to  judge  of  their  own  strength,  to  meet  intrigue  with  in- 
trigue, and  to  keep  their  quarrels  outside  the  limits  of 
Government  intervention.  As  this  class  of  village  wars 
is  looked  upon  as  harmless  by  the  authorities,  they  only 
interfere  to  squeeze  both  parties.  The  Punti  employ 
braves  to  fight  for  them,  while  the  Hak-kas  fight  their 
battles  for  themselves,  and  that  is  why  the  latter  always 
win. 

It  is  impossible  to  sav  whether  this  distinguished 
soldier  and  diplomatist  Juilin  entertains  any  kindly 


262 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


feeling  towards  foreigners,  or  any  desire  to  encourage 
friendly  intercourse  with  outer  nations.  If  he  has 
one  or  the  other,  he  is  an  exception  to  the  general 
race  of  Chinese  statesmen ; and  I expect  that  he 
adopts  a careful  conciliatory  policy,  partly  because 
his  duty  to  the  Imperial  Government  constrains  him 
to  that  course,  and  partly  because  he  well  knows  the 
pQwer  and  resources  of  European  nations.  Recent 
occurrences  in  the  Kwangtung  province  prove  that 
there  still  exists,  among  the  governing  classes,  a deep- 
rooted  hostility  to  foreigners.  The  latest  develop- 
ment of  this  feeling  was  in  the  Shan-shin-fan  out- 
rage in  1871,  when  the  movement,  had  it  not  been 
checked  in  time,  might  have  led  to  a wholesale  mas- 
sacre of  the  native  and  foreign  Christians  of  the 
province,  as  well  as  to  bloodshed  in  our  own  colony 
at  Hongkong.  Certain  individuals  belonging  to  the 
so-called  literati  class  are  said  to  have  been  at  the  root 
of  the  whole  affair ; through  their  instrumentality  in- 
flammatory placards  were  printed  and  put  extensively 
into  circulation  ; pills  also  were  manufactured,  and  freely 
distributed  to  the  populace ; pills,  it  was  said,  concocted 
by  the  missionaries,  and  possessing  the  power  to 
bewitch  innocent  women,  and  to  proselytise  foolish 
men ; they  were  besides  this  accounted  capable  of 
working  miracles  of  a character  too  disgusting  to  be 
described.  The  results  of  all  this  trickery  were  riots 
in  different  quarters.  A chapel  was  burnt  at  Fatshan, 
and  a feeling  of  intense  repugnance  and  bitter  hatred 
to  foreigners  was  stirred  among  the  simple,  superstitious, 
and  peacably  inclined  peasantry.  Public  feeling,  in- 
deed, was  just  as  excited  as  before  the  Tientsin 
massacre ; but  the  prompt  action  of  the  lieutenant- 


DWELLINGS  OF  TILE  rOOR. 


263 


governor  of  Hongkong,  who  despatched  a gunboat  to 
Canton,  backed  by  the  strong  representations  of  the 
acting  British  Consul  on  the  spot,  roused  the  native  au- 
thorities to  a recognition  of  the  danger,  and  led  them  to 
take  such  vigorous  steps  that  order  was  speedily  restored. 

Before  I quit  Canton,  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
glance  at  a quarter  of  the  town  which  has  undergone 
improvements  within  the  past  ten  years.  Not  far  from 
the  old  factory  site,  and  close  to  the  river,  there  stands 
a row  of  well-built  brick  houses.  In  1869  these  houses 
had  not  yet  been  built,  and  the  ground  was  occupied 
by  a strange  mixed  population  of  the  poorest  classes. 
Too  poor  to  live  in  boats,  or  in  the  houses  of  the  city, 
they  squatted  on  this  waste  land  between  the  river  and 
the  wall,  existing,  most  of  them,  nobody  knew  how. 
Some  of  the  hovels  in  which  they  dwelt  would  not 
have  made  decent  dog-kennels ; and  yet,  amid  all  their 
poverty,  they  seemed  a tolerably  contented  lot.  I 
remember  one  hut  which  had  been  pieced  together  out 
of  the  fragments  of  an  old  boat,  bits  of  foreign  packing- 
cases,  inscribed  with  trade  marks  that  betrayed  their 
chequered  history,  patches  of  decayed  matting,  clay, 
mud,  and  straw  ; a covering  of  odd  tiles  and  broken 
pottery  made  all  snug  within.  In  the  small  space  thus 
enclosed  accommodation  was  found  for  a lean  pig  that 
lived  on  garbage,  two  old  women,  one  old  man,  the 
old  man’s  daughter,  and  the  daughter’s  child.  A small 
space  in  front  was  arranged  as  the  kitchen,  while  part 
of  the  roof,  and  one  or  two  pots,  were  taken  up  with 
vegetables  or  flowers.  I have  seen  the  inmates,  in  the 
morning  sunshine,  breakfasting  off  a savoury  meal  of 
mixed  scraps  that  they  had  picked  up  in  their  peram- 
bulations about  the  city.  There  were  many  such 


264 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


dwellings  in  this  neighbourhood,  and  the  district 
physician  lived  not  far  off.  The  doctor  had  a very 
aged  look,  as  if,  at  some  distant  period,  he  had  been 
embalmed  and  preserved  in  a dried-up  state,  though 
still  alive.  He  might  be  consulted  at  all  hours,  and 
would  be  found  at  his  doorway  among  his  herbs  and 
simples,  dressed  in  a pair  of  slippers  and  cotton 
breeches,  and  with  ponderous  spectacles  across  his 
shrivelled  nose.  But  the  door  and  wall  of  this  public 
benefactor’s  abode  were  covered  with  an  array  of  black 
plasters,  to  which  the  old  man  pointed  with  great  pride 
as  incontestable  evidences  of  his  professional  skill. 
These  plasters  had  a wide  celebrity  among  his  poor 
patients,  and  many  a man,  as  a token  of  deep  gratitude 
for  some  signal  cure,  had  brought  his  plaster  back  as  a 
certificate  to  adorn  the  residence  where  his  deliverer 
dwelt. 

Leaving  this  quarter,  and  striking  for  the  suburbs 
north  of  the  foreign  settlements,  we  come  upon  a 
temple  perhaps  the  most  interesting  in  Canton.  This 
is  the  temple  of  500  gods;  said,  in  Mr.  Bowra’s  trans- 
lation of  the  native  history  of  the  province,  to  have 
been  founded  by  Bodhidharama,  a Buddhist  monk 
from  India,  about  the  year  520  a.d.  It  is  Bodhid- 
harama whom  we  frequently  see  pictured  on  Chinese 
teacups,  as  he  ascends  the  Yangtsze  river  on  his 
bamboo  raft.  The  temple  was  rebuilt  in  1755,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Emperor  Kien-lung.  It  contains 
the  Lo-hang-tang,  or  hall  of  saints,  and  with  its  temple 
buildings,  its  houses  for  priests,  its  lakes  and  its 
gardens,  covers  altogether  a very  large  space.  Colonel 
Yule,  in  his  last  edition  of  Marco  Polo,  says  that  one  of 
the  statues  in  this  temple  is  an  image  of  the  Venetian 


THE  El  VE  HUNDRED  GODS 


THE  LO-HANG-TANG. 


265 


traveller ; but  careful  inquiry  proves  this  statement  in- 
correct, for  none  of  the  images  present  the  European 
type  of  face,  and  all  the  records  connected  with  them 
are  of  an  antiquity  which  runs  back  beyond  Marco 
Polo’s  age.  I made  my  first  visit  to  this  temple  about 
five  years  ago,  in  the  company  of  a Chinese  gentleman 
attached  to  the  customs  department.  \ he  aged 
abbot,  who  is  the  centre  figure  in  the  group  of  chess- 
players on  page  266,  received  us  with  great  cordiality, 
and  showed  us  into  his  private  apartments,  where  we 
enjoyed  a repast  of  tea  and  cake,  and  spent  some  time 
in  examining  a collection  of  dwarf  trees  and  flowering 
shrubs,  which  he  had  arranged  in  a court  in  front  of  his 
sitting- room.  In  the  centre  of  this  court  stood  a tank 
containing  fish,  and  a group  of  sacred  lotus-flowers  in 
full  bloom.  The  golden  fish  darted  in  and  out  among 
a multitude  of  brilliantly-green  aquatic  plants  that 
floated  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  The  old  gentle- 
man had  spent  many  years  of  his  life  in  seclusion,  and 
seemed  to  be  devoted  to  his  garden,  expressing  his 
delight  to  find  a foreigner  who  could  share  in  his  love 
for  flowers.  The  apartments  of  this  prelate  impressed 
me  with  a sense  of  cold  squareness  and  rigid  uni- 
formity. The  flooring  was  marble,  and  the  tables  and 
chairs  were  either  wholly  of  marble,  or  ebony  and 
marble  combined.  If  the  chairs  sent  too  rheumatic 
a chill  through  your  blood,  you  could  test  the  comfort 
of  a block  of  polished  rock  in  the  corner,  or  try  one  or 
two  cold  glazed  porcelain  stools.  Sundry  texts  from 
the  sacred  classics  were  hung  about  the  dim  walls,  the 
strange  characters  looking  like  huge  spiders  marching 
in  Indian  file  to  the  ceiling  Everything  was  in  order, 
and  everything  scrupulously  clean.  But  at  length  we 


266 


• INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Round  a lotus-pool,  in  the  centre  of  this  court,  ran  a 
paved  pathway,  and  an  ornamental  railing,  draped 
with  the  green  leaves  of  a creeping  plant.  Here  we 
left  the  monks  engaging  their  venerable  abbot  in  a 
game  at  chess,  while  I took  my  way  to  the  interior  of 
the  shrine  to  obtain  a photograph  of  the  central  altar. 
I found  a number  of  people  at  worship  within,  making 
votive  offerings  to  the  idols  whose  aid  they  sought. 


discovered,  when  a number  of  the  monks  had  joined 
our  party,  that  the  shaven,  silent,  thoughtful-looking 
inmates  of  the  cloister,  could  unbend  if  they  chose, 
and  take  a natural  and  ardent  interest  in  the  current 
gossip  or  scandal  of  Canton.  Nay,  they  conducted  us 
to  a snuggery  in  an  inner  court,  where  a table  was 
sumptuously  spread,  embowered  beneath  plantain- 
trees,  and  shaded  by  their  huge  waving  leaves. 


CHESS-PLAYING  IN  A BUDDHIST  MONASTERY. 


BOAT-WOMEN. 


267 


Some  ladies  were  there,  decked  in  their  finest  silks  ; and 
my  entrance  so  startled  these  fair  devotees  that  they 
would  have  fled  but  for  the  intervention  of  the  priests, 
who  gave  me  a high  character  as  one  in  search  of  know- 
ledge, who  had  wisely  come  from  an  obscure  island  to 
view  the  greatest  temple  in  all  the  ‘ Central  Flowery 
Land,’  and  to  carry  pictures  of  its  wonders  home. 
The  images  in  this  temple,  though  most  of  them  are 
remarkably  grotesque,  yet,  in  the  diversity  of  their 
attitudes,  in  their  modelling,  and  in  the  varied  expres- 
sions which  their  faces  wear,  reveal  to  us  a knowledge 
of  this  particular  branch  of  art,  to  be  found  perhaps 
nowhere  else  in  China,  and  rather  Indian  in  its  character 
than  Chinese. 

Wending  our  way  back  to  the  river  through  narrow 
tortuous  streets,  and  passing  third-rate  tea  establish- 
ments, where  men  mix  the  fragrant  leaves  and  toss 
them  about  with  their  naked  feet  on  mats  spread  out 
in  the  sun,  we  at  length  embark  in  one  of  the  many 
small  boats  which  ply  for  hire  at  the  jetties. 

The  crew  of  the  little  craft  consists  of  three  young 
girls,  and  these  boatwomen  are  the  prettiest  and  most 
attractive-looking  of  their  sex  to  be  met  with  out  of 
doors  in  this  part  of  China.  They  never  paint,  and 
are  therefore  set  down  by  their  countrywomen  as  of 
doubtful  respectability.  This  is  really  true  of  some  of 
them,  although  in  the  presence  of  Europeans  who  may 
hire  their  boats  they  behave  with  uniform  modesty 
and  decorum.  Their  boats  are  the  perfection  of  neat- 
ness, and  their  dress  as  simple  as  it  is  picturesque. 
There  is  a hue  of  health,  too,  about  their  olive  cheeks, 
and  sparkling  in  their  lustrous  eyes,  while  the  darkness 
of  their  raven  tresses  is  charmingly  heightened  by  a 


268 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


crimson  flower  in  the  hair.  They  scull  or  row  with 
great  dexterity,  skimming  in  and  out  among  the  crowd 
of  shipping,  or  along  the  narrow  ways  that  form  the 
thoroughfares  in  the  floating  town  of  boats,  where 
natives  in  their  tens  of  thousands  pursue  their  various 
avocations  quite  apart  from  the  dwellers  on  shore.  A 
brisk  trade  is  carried  on  in  many  of  these  narrow 
avenues,  and  the  small  merchants  who  engage  in  it 
have  their  shops  in  the  bows  of  their  boat,  and  their 
residences  at  the  stern.  If  business  happens  to  be  dull 
at  one  end  of  the  town  they  move  to  the  other,  or  else 
take  a tour  in  the  provinces,  carrying  their  whole 
establishment  to  a region  where  the  family  can  enjoy 
balmy  air,  and  where  they  will  delight  the  hearts  of 
the  rustics  with  their  display  of  city  wares. 

Steering  clear  of  a floating  market  in  one  of  the 
main  alleys  of  this  aquatic  Babel,  we  come  in  front  of 
a row  of  flower-boats,  the  floating  music-saloons  of  this 
quarter  of  the  stream.  It  is  growing  dark,  and  the 
numerous  lamps  which  hang  round  these  boats  produce 
a very  striking  effect.  Each  saloon  rears  its  head 
high  above  the  water,  and  is  carved  into  the  most 
elaborate  representations  of  the  animal  and  vegetable 
world,  of  the  beauties  on  earth,  or  the  wonders  in  the 
heavens  above.  Through  the  interstices  of  the  carving 
we  can  make  out  some  exceedingly  pretty  female  faces, 
and  suddenly  a crowd  of  fine  young  damsels  rise  above 
the  woodwork,  looking  like  a pretty  continuation  of  the 
ornaments  beneath.  Suddenly  again  they  disappear, 
as  a gay  group  of  youths  in  silken  robes  step  out  of  a 
boat,  and  pass  into  the  nearest  saloon.  Then  we  hear 
the  warble  of  the  lute,  and  the  damsels  piping  in  shrill 
treble  tones;  for  these  maidens  have  descended  from 


DECK  OF  A CHINESE  JUNK.  269 

their  perch  above,  and  are  entertaining  the  city  youths, 
who  are  come  to  dine  in  the  saloon,  to  enjoy  a whiff  ot 
opium,  and  to  bask  in  smiles  so  sweet  that  they  seem 
like  to  crack  the  enamel  off  the  faces  of  the  fair 
musicians. 

Pulling  back  is  hard  work  for  the  crew  ; but  they 
redouble  their  efforts,  for  as  they  say,  ‘ Plenty  piecee 
bad  man  hab  got  this  side,  too  muchee  likee  cut  throat 
picijin,’  and  soon  we  are  once  more  in  mid-stream. 
Here  we  pass  close  under  the  dark  frowning  hulks  of 
a fleet  of  old  weather-beaten  junks  that  lie  moored  in 
a long  double  line.  As  everyone  already  knows  all 
about  these  junks — what  they  look  like,  with  their  big 
eyes  set  in  front  to  scare  off  the  demons  of  the  deep — I 
need  not  attempt  to  describe  them  here  ; but  I may 
inform  the  reader  that  the  accompanying  picture  of  the 
deck  of  a junk  was  one  which  it  cost  me  some  trouble 
to  obtain.  I got  it  under  the  following  circumstances. 
Two  artistic  friends  and  myself  were  one  day  pulling 
about  Hongkong  harbour  in  quest  of  a good  subject 
for  a picture,  and  after  having  scrambled  by  the  aid  of 
a convenient  rope  on  to  the  deck  of  a junk  at  anchor 
there,  we  found  the  crew  busy  with  a complex 
machinery  of  ropes,  poles  and  windlasses,  and  indeed 
on  the  point  of  making  sail.  Suddenly  they  forsook 
their  work,  confronted  us  with  angry  gestures,  and 
threatened  to  bar  our  advance.  We  enquired  for  the 
captains,  of  whom  not  uncommonly  there  are  half-a- 
dozen  on  board,  for  these  junks  are  built  in  water-tight 
compartments,  and  each  owner  of  cargo  is  a captain  so 
far  as  concerns  that  compartment,  where  his  own 
goods  have  been  separately  stored.  Thus,  if  the  com- 
partments be  six,  the  captains  are  six,  and  each  captain 


270 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


has  a sixth  part  of  the  vessel  under  his  own  command. 
The  result  of  this  equitable  arrangement  is  that  the 
craft  is  sometimes  required  to  travel  in  six  different 
directions  simultaneously,  and  to  stand  for  six  different 
points  at  a time  ; and  in  the  end  the  crew  take  the 
steering  into  their  own  hands,  or  else  consult  Joss,  who 
stands  in  his  shrine  in  the  cabin  unmoved  though 
tempests  rage.  As  it  happened  in  our  case,  there  were 
but  two  captains  on  board,  the  one  anxious  to  be  civil 
and  the  other  ready  to  pitch  us  into  the  sea.  At 
length  they  requested  us  to  remain,  while  they  referred 
the  case  to  Joss.  The  idol,  it  appeared,  gave  us  a 
hearty  welcome,  for  captains  and  crew  returned  from 
the  interior  to  unite  in  helping  me  to  get  up  a success- 
ful picture. 


DECK  OK  A CHINESE  JUNE 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


271 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Charitable  Institutions  of  China — Macao — Description  of  the  Town — 
Its  Inhabitants — Swatow — Foreign  Settlement — Chao-chovv-fu — Swatow 
Fan-painters — Modellers— Chinese  Art — Village  Warfare — Amoy — The 
Native  Quarter — Abodes  of  the  Poor— Infanticide — Manure-pits — 
Human  Remains  injars — Lekin — Romantic  Scenery — Ku-lang-su — The 
Foreign  Settlement. 

The  charitable  institutions  of  China  are  far  from 
numerous,  and  but  ill  organised  as  a rule.  In  1871  an 
establishment  under  Chinese  supervision,  and  supported 
entirely  out  of  Chinese  funds,  was  about  to  be  opened 
in  Canton  for  relieving  the  sick  and  destitute,  and 
supplying  coffins  to  the  poor.  The  intention  of  its 
founders,  so  it  is  supposed,  was  to  counteract  the  in- 
fluence of  the  hospitals  and  charities  supported  by  the 
foreign  Christian  Missions  in  their  city.  But  when  I 
left  Canton  the  place  was  still  unopened,  although  a 
house  had  been  already  bought,  which  had  been  occupied 
as  a private  residence  by  Pun-ting-qua,  the  last  of  the 
Hong  merchants  whose  property,  as  I have  said 
already,  had  been  confiscated  by  Government.  This 
house  was  one  of  the  finest  I have  seen  in  China,  and 
its  magnificent  costly  decorations  conveyed  some  notion 
of  Pun-ting-qua’s  great  wealth,  which  had  been  quietly 
absorbed  by  the  authorities.  Strange  to  relate,  a similar 
charity  exists  in  Hongkong;  similar  in  so  far  as  it  is 
a hospital  supported  by  the  Chinese  community.  It 
is  stated  in  the  Report  of  the  Medical  Missionary 


272 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Society  of  China  for  1867  that  the  Chinese  themselves 
contributed  47,000  dollars,  and  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ment 15,000,  towards  the  expenses  of  founding  this 
establishment,  and  providing  it  with  a site.  Native 
physicians  are  to  be  employed  at  this  hospital — men 
who  have  never  taken  a degree  of  any  sort,  and  whose 
chief  qualification  for  the  post  will  probably  rest  on 
their  skill  in  mixing  quack  nostrums,  and  in  their 
knowledge  of  the  days  most  lucky  for  administering 
doses  to  patients ; and  there  they  will  be  able  to  enjoy 
the  luxury  of  either  curing,  or  killing  their  sick  fellow- 
countrymen,  and  yet  escape  the  danger,  imposed  upon 
them  in  Chinese  cities,  of  losing  their  fee  if  they  should 
not  achieve  a success.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
the  Chinese  know  comparatively  nothing  of  medical 
science.  Good  luck  and  favourable  omens  are  all- 
important  in  their  eyes  ; but  a sound  constitution,  that 
will  pull  a patient  through  the  effects  of  their  worst 
medicines,  has  a great  deal  to  do  with  the  recovery  of 
the  unfortunate  sufferer  who  in  Hongkong  may  fall, 
or  rather  be  deliberately  delivered,  into  the  hands  of  a 
celestial  quack.  Perhaps  after  all  they  follow  a sound 
principle  when  they  administer  to  a patient,  who  obsti- 
nately refuses  to  get  well,  a little  of  everything,  in  order 
that  his  disease,  whatever  it  be,  may  select  its  own 
remedy  from  the  heterogeneous  compound.  This 
Hongkong  hospital  is,  or  ought  to  be,  under  European 
supervision,  and  it  is  probably  intended  that  native 
practitioners  may  gradually  be  led  to  adopt  our  medi- 
cines, and  to  study  our  system  of  therapeutics.  But 
with  the  Chinese  blind  belief  in  their  own  superiority 
as  men  and  as  physicians,  they  cannot  fail  to  account 
our  meeting  them  thus  half  way  as  a tacit  acknowledg- 


FOUNDLING  HOSPITAL. 


273 


ment  of  the  excellence  of  a system  made  up  in  reality 
of  ignorance  and  superstition.  On  the  other  hand  the 
Chinese  Government  appear  to  have  returned  the  com- 
pliment by  appointing  Dr.  Dudgeon  to  a lectureship  in 
the  college  at  Peking,  where,  from  what  I know  of  that 
gentleman’s  abilities  as  an  English  physician,  and  from 
his  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  language,  I feel  sure 
that  the  students  will  be  so  systematically  trained  that 
they  may  one  day  prove  themselves  the  founders  of  a 
new  school  of  medicine  in  China. 

Among  the  charities  in  Canton  there  is  a Leper 
Village.  These  sort  of  asylums  for  plague-stricken 
men  and  women  are  found  in  various  quarters  of  the 
Empire,  but  as  I only  visited  one  place  of  the  kind  I 
shall  reserve  what  I have  to  say  about  them  for  a future 
page.  There  are  also  institutions  for  the  aged  and 
infirm,  and  a foundling  hospital,  in  which  the  poor 
children,  who  may  be  left  at  its  door,  are  nursed  on  the 
slenderest  fare.  Dr.  Kerr  gives  some  interesting 
details  as  to  the  management  of  this  hospital  in  the 
‘China  Review’  for  September  1873.  One  wet  nurse, 
so  he  tells  us,  has  at  times  as  many  as  three  infants  to 
feed,  and  she  must  herself  be  reduced  to  starvation 
allowance,  as  her  pay  is  only  about  eight  shillings  a 
month.  Many  of  the  nurslings  die,  as  might  be  ex- 
pected, while  those  who  survive  are  sold  for  about 
three  shillings  a-piece.  It  is  mostly  female  children 
that  are  brought  to  this  benevolent  institution,  for  girls 
are  esteemed  nothing  but  encumbrances  to  poor  parents 
in  China,  the  reproach  of  their  mothers,  who  ought  to 
give  birth  to  boys  alone.  These  foundlings  are  bought 
by  the  wealthy,  and  brought  up  as  servants  or  concu- 
bines ; or  else  they  are  disposed  of  to  designing  hags, 


274 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


who  purchase  them  on  speculation  and  reserve  them 
for  a more  miserable  fate.  This  custom  of  investing 
in  girls  as  speculative  property,  and  of  rearing  them 
carefully  till  their  personal  attractions  will  command  a 
high  market  value,  is  one  of  the  worst  aspects  of  that 
traffic  in  slaves  which  is  carried  on  without  shame  or 
concealment  all  over  Chinese  soil,  and  more  secretly 
by  the  natives  residing  at  Hongkong,  as  the  police 
reports  will  show.  The  evil  might  be  mitigated  if  we 
could  but  persuade  the  Chinese  Government  to  encou- 
rage female  emigration  by  any  means  in  their  power, 
more  particularly  to  those  lands  where  as  yet  only 
males  have  found  their  way  from  China ; lands  where 
there  is  valuable  work  for  female  hands  to  do,  but 
where,  as  for  instance  in  California,  their  vices  could 
well  be  dispensed  with.  Besides  this  there  are  countries 
in  which  the  Chinese  are  as  yet  almost  unknown — 
Africa,  for  example — where,  with  wives  and  children 
around  them,  a congenial  climate,  and  a rich  soil  to 
cultivate  with  produce  which  they  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  grow,  vast  tracts  of  the  waste  lands  of  the 
earth  might  be  colonised  and  redeemed.  Thus  would 
the  parent  country  be  relieved  from  the  pressure  of 
over-population,  which  hitherto  has  been  mainly  kept 
in  check  by  famine,  infanticide,  and  civil  war.  Colonel 
Gordon — better  known  as  Chinese  Gordon — of  the 
ever-victorious  army — is  now  on  a mission  to  the  heart 
of  Africa  ; and  he,  perhaps,  should  he  ever  think  of  such 
a scheme,  might  be  able  to  open  up  new  sources  for 
the  enterprise  of  the  toiling  husbandmen  of  Cathay,  to 
whom  once  already  he  has  appeared  as  a deliverer  in 
years  now  gone  by. 

Macao  is  interesting  as  the  only  Portuguese  settle- 


MACAO. 


2 75 

ment  to  be  found  on  the  coast  of  China.  It  may  be 
reached  by  steam,  either  from  Hongkong  or  Canton, 
and  it  is  a favourite  summer  resort  for  the  residents  of 
our  own  little  colony.  In  that  pretty  watering-place 
we  may  enjoy  the  cool  sea-breezes,  and  almost  fancy, 
when  promenading  the  broad  Praya  Grande,  as  it  sweeps 
round  a bay  truly  picturesque,  that  we  have  been 
suddenly  transported  to  some  ancient  continental  town. 
Macao  is  a magnificent  curiosity  in  its  way.  The 
Chinese  say  it  has  no  right  to  be  there  at  all ; that  it  is 
built  on  Chinese  soil ; whereas  the  Portuguese,  on  their 
part,  allege  that  the  site  was  ceded  to  the  King  of 
Portugal  in  return  for  services  rendered  to  the  Govern- 
ment  of  China.  These  services,  however,  cannot  have 
been  properly  appreciated,  for  the  Chinese  in  1573 
built  a barrier-wall  across  the  isthmus  on  which  this 
town  stands,  to  shut  out  the  foreigners  from  Cathay. 
The  place  has  had  a chequered  history  since  the  time 
of  its  original  foundation,  sometimes  being  under  its 
own  legitimate  Government,  and  at  others  being  claimed 
and  ruled  by  the  Chinese.  But  its  history,  however 
important  to  the  parent  country,  had  better  be  left 
alone,  more  especially  as  there  are  passages  in  it  which 
reflect  no  great  lustre  on  the  nation  whom  Camoens 
adorned.  We  will,  therefore,  content  ourselves  by  a 
look  at  the  chief  objects  of  interest  in  the  settlement. 
From  the  Praya  Grande,  with  its  fine  pier,  Govern- 
ment-house, and  painted  buildings,  we  pass  up  one 
of  the  numerous  small  streets,  shut  in  by  high  walls 
on  either  side.  It  is  mid-day,  and  there  is  nobody 
to  be  seen  abroad.  You  remark  many  iron  bars 
about  the  windows  ; yes,  those  prison-like  dwellings 
are  ‘ barracoons  ; ’ the  offices,  that  is,  of  various  emigra- 


276 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


tion  agents.  These  agents  have  a strange  way  of 
watching  over  the  innocent  emigrants.  There  are 
savage-looking  men  on  guard  at  the  doors,  set  there  to 
prevent  any  of  the  coolies  from  getting  out  and  running 
the  risk,  poor  things ! of  losing  themselves  in  the  town. 
Alas ! for  these  unfortunate  ‘ emigrants ; ’ they  have 
been  kidnapped  most  of  them ; and  I have  seen 
them  at  early  morning  taken  down  in  gangs,  forced 
into  the  boats,  and  pulled  off  to  the  ship  lying  out 
yonder  in  the  glassy  bay.  They  have  all  to  be  con- 
veyed to  make  their  fortunes  by  digging  guano  on  the 
islands  of  Peru.  One  ship  left  Macao  in  1865  with 
500  emigrants  on  board.  On  touching  at  Tahiti  the 
number  had  dwindled  to  162.  That  cargo  of  slaves, 
for  slaves  they  practically  were,  turned  out  a bad  specu- 
lation ; but  the  traffic  has  been  recently  put  a stop  to 
under  the  enlightened  administration  of  a very  unpopular 
governor — unpopular  because  he  has  thus  seen  fit  to 
abolish  an  exceedingly  lucrative  sort  of  trade. 

The  Chinese  Government,  too,  are  looking  after  the 
interest  of  native  emigrants,  and  have  recently  sent  a 
deputation  to  Peru  to  enquire  into  the  condition  of 
Chinese  labourers  in  that  quarter.  We  pass  the 
gaol,  and  through  the  stanchioned  windows  see  a 
number  of  wretched  native  prisoners,  who  beg  of  us  to 
befriend  them.  An  American  captain  with  whom  I 
afterwards  ascended  the  Yangtsze-kiang,  told  me  the 
following  story  connected  with  this  prison,  which  seemed 
to  him  to  corroborate  his  belief  in  spiritual  agency. 
His  father,  who  had  been  a skipper  too,  was  one 
morning  about  to  make  sail  from  Macao,  and  passed 
the  prison  on  his  way  to  join  his  ship.  Arrested  by 
the  desparing  cries  of  the  men  within,  he  turned  aside 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  TOWN.  277 

to  make  enquiries,  and  learned  that  three  of  the 
captives  were  condemned  to  be  executed  next  day. 
Tossing  a quantity  of  cents  inside,  he  took  his  depar- 
ture, and  thought  nothing  more  of  the  incident.  But 
when  he  reached  San  Francisco  he  hastened  to  his 
owner’s  office,  and  was  surprised  to  find  no  letters 
awaiting  him  from  home.  He  concluded  something 
must  be  wrong,  and  the  merchant  advised  him  to  visit 
a certain  spiritual  medium  who  resided  in  the  town. 
This  he  did,  and  when  the  seance  commenced  the 
medium  informed  him  of  the  presence  of  certain  spirits 
around  him,  reverently  bowing  before  him,  and 
thanking  him  for  some  great  boon  he  had  conferred  on 
them.  They  carried  their  heads  beneath  their  arms, 
and  were  declared  by  the  medium  to  be  the  spirits  of 
Macao  Chinamen  beheaded  the  day  after  the  captain 
left  that  port,  now  come  across  the  ocean  to  thank 
him. 

The  main  streets  in  Macao  are  deserted.  The 
houses  there  are  painted  in  a variety  of  strange  colours, 
some  of  the  windows  being  fringed  with  a rim  of 
red,  which  gives  them  the  look  of  inflamed  eyes  in 
the  painted  cheeks  of  the  dwellings.  But  there  are 
magnificent  staircases,  wide  doorways,  and  vast  halls, 
though  the  inmates  for  the  most  part  are  a very 
diminutive  race  ; they  are  called  Portuguese,  but  they 
suffer  by  comparison  with  the  more  recent  arrivals  from 
the  parent  land,  being  darker  than  the  Portuguese  of 
Europe,  and  darker  even  than  the  native  Chinese. 
There  is  trade  going  on  in  the  streets,  but  it  is  of  a 
very  languid  kind,  and  the  gambling-houses  or  the 
cathedral  are  the  chief  places  of  resort. 

The  forts  are  of  course  garrisoned  with  troops  from 


278 


INHO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Europe,  and  the  sounds  of  trumpet,  kettledrum,  or 
bugle,  which  issue  uninterruptedly  from  these  strong- 
holds would  make  a stranger  fancy  that  the  soldiers 
were  being  constantly  mustered  to  repel  some  invading 
Chinese  host.  Macao  must  be  a very  devout  place 
indeed  ; the  church  bells  there  seem  never  to  be  tired 
of  ringing  ; and  at  morning,  noon,  and  eventide,  the 
townsfolk  may  be  met  flocking  to  the  cathedral  or  the 
chapels,  to  renew  their  religious  worship.  At  4 f.m.  or 
thereabouts  the  settlement  wakes  up  ; carriages  whirl, 
along  the  road  ; sedan-chairs  struggle  shorewards,  that 
their  occupants  may  taste  the  sea-breeze  ; and  the  mid- 
day solitudes  of  the  Praya  Grande  have  been  converted 
into  a fashionable  promenade.  Ladies  are  there,  too, 
attired  in  the  lightest  costumes  and  the  gayest  colours  ; 
some  of  them  pretty,  but  the  majority  sallow-faced  and 
uninteresting,  and  decked  out  with  ribbons  and  dresses 
whose  gaudy  tints  are  so  inharmoniously  contrasted 
that  one  wonders  how  Chinnery  the  painter  could  have 
spent  so  many  of  his  days  among  a community  so 
wanting  in  artistic  tastes.  The  young  men — for  there 
seem  to  be  no  old  men  here,  at  least  all  dress  alike, 
quite  irrespective  of  years. — are  a slender  race,  but  not 
more  slender  than  diminutive.  On  the  adornment  of 
their  persons  these  pigmy  dandies  bestow  no  incon- 
siderable study  and  care,  striving  to  conform  to  fashion 
to  the  utmost  their  moderate  incomes  will  admit,  and 
some  of  them — so  I know  for  a fact — living  sparingly, 
and  having  their  salaries  mortgaged,  to  provide  the  gay 
neckties,  the  kid  gloves,  and  patent  leather  boots,  in 
which  they  worship  at  the  cathedral,  or  on  the  Praya  at 
the  shrine  of  the  fair.  Meanwhile  from  the  windows  or 
balconies  glancing  eyes  look  down  behind  their  fans,  and 


SWA  TO  IV 


279 

send  a thrill  through  the  blood  of  each  admiring 
devotee  below.  But  if  Macao  is  interesting  as  a 
Portuguese  settlement,  and  the  only  one  which  now 
remains  to  Portugal  of  those  which  her  early  traders 
founded  in  China,  it  can  also  boast  of  historic 
associations  giving  it  a special,  and  independent  at- 
traction. Here  the  poet  Camoens  found  a retreat,  and 
here,  too,  Chinncry  produced  a multitude  of  sketches 
and  paintings  which  have  really  had  some  influence 
on  art  in  the  south  of  China. 

Swatow  is  the  next  place  on  our  route  northward, 
and  to  reach  it  we  take  steamer  from  Hongkong. 
There  is,  I must  tell  you,  almost  daily  a service  ot 
magnificent  steamers  up  and  down  the  Chinese  coast. 
The  splendid  passenger  accommodation,  and  the 
facilities  for  conveying  merchandise  supplied  by  these 
vessels,  are  of  a kind  not  easily  surpassed ; and  con- 
sidering the  nature  of  the  coasts  they  navigate,  and  the 
dangerous  typhoons  to  which  they  are  exposed,  very 
few  accidents  occur. 

Swatow  is  the  port  of  the  city  Chao-chow-fu,  and  lies, 
as  I have  said  already,  in  the  province  of  Kwan-tung. 
Chao-chow-fu  ought  really  to  have  been  an  entrepot 
for  foreign  trade,  but  this  idea  was  given  up  in  conse- 
quence of  the  turbulence  of  the  surrounding  clans. 
The  town  is  built  upon  the  banks  of  the  Han,  and  the 
district  through  which  that  river  flows  is  one  of  the 
most  fertile  in  the  province.  Swatow  has  a harbour 
available  even  for  vessels  of  the  largest  tonnage  ; and  so 
far  as  that  point  goes,  therefore,  the  place  is  better 
suited  to  foreign  trade  than  Chao-chow-fu  would 
have  been  ; for  the  latter  place  stands  some  thirty 
miles  up  the  river,  and  can  only  be  reached  by  lighters 


280  INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

of  a shallow  draught.  The  foreign  settlement,  or 
rather  the  residences  of  foreigners,  are  perched  upon  a 
low  range  of  hills  which  reminds  one  of  the  barren 
cinder-looking  hills  of  Aden.  Huge  boulders  of 
granite  are  planted  up  and  down  these  hilly  slopes  in 
the  most  extraordinary  positions ; some  are  like 
Druidical  circles,  others  resemble  great  obelisks.  Not 
unfrequently,  too,  they  bear  inscriptions  in  Chinese 
characters ; and  thus,  supposing  that  the  Chinese  were 
ever  to  be  driven  from  the  region,  a rich  field  would 
present  itself  for  antiquarian  research.  Many  theories 
would  be  forthcoming  to  account  for  these  sacred 
circles  and  carved  obelisks,  which  have  simply  been 
left  in  their  positions  as  the  soil  around  disintegrated, 
and  was  washed  away  from  the  slopes  of  the  hills.  As 
for  the  inscriptions,  they  are  nothing  more  than  the 
productions  of  Chinese  who  have  sought  to  gain  an  un- 
profitable immortality  by  graving  their  names,  or  their 
poetical  effusions,  or  else  a record  of  some  local 
incident,  upon  the  imperishable  surface  of  these  stones. 
Here  the  foreign  houses,  and  many  of  the  native  ones 
too,  are  built  out  of  a local  concrete  made  of  the 
felspar  clay  which  abounds  in  the  neighbourhood,  com- 
bined with  shell-lime.  In  process  of  time  this  com- 
pound hardens  into  a stony  substance  producing  solid 
and  durable  walls.  The  interiors  of  these  dwellings 
are  no  less  remarkable,  for  the  ceilings  are  adorned 
‘with  the  most  beautiful  stucco  cornices,  representing 
birds  and  flowers,  in  endless  variety  and  profusion. 
The  men  who  execute  this  sort  of  artistic  work  are  to 
all  appearance  coolies,  receiving  for  their  labour  but 
little  more  than  they  could  earn  by  tilling  the  soil  or 
drawing  water  ; and  yet,  to  fit  themselves  for  their 


FAN-PAINTERS. 


281 


tasks,  they  must  undergo  what  is  a high  art  training  at 
least  to  a Chinaman.  When  at  work  they  squat  on  the 
door  with  a hod  full  of  stucco  before  them,  and  a sort 
of  small  baking-board  at  their  feet.  On  this  board, 
with  their  fingers  and  a trowel,  they  model  dower  after 
dower — stems,  foliage,  fruit  and  all — besides  birds  of 
one  or  two  kinds  ; passing  the  portions,  as  they  complete 
them,  up  to  a workman  whose  business  it  is  to 
group  the  bits  together  and  fix  them  in  position.  No 
moulds  are  used,  no  wooden  pattern  of  any  sort ; all  is 
done  with  the  unaided  hand  and  eye,  and  exquisitely 
done  to. 

Of  the  native  settlement  of  Swatow  I need  only 
say  that  it  is  more  or  less  like  the  river  quarters  of 
Canton,  or  Fatshan,  or  any  other  town  in  the  south  of 
China ; but  I cannot  refrain  from  introducing  the 
reader  to  the  Swatow  fan-painters,  as  they,  too,  are 
most  remarkable  men.  There  are  a number  of  fan 
shops  in  the  main  street,  and  one  which  is  perhaps 
more  celebrated  for  the  beauty  of  its  work  than  any  of 
the  others  can  pretend  to  be.  To  this  shop,  then,  I 
repaired,  in  the  company  of  an  English  merchant, 
whose  warm  hospitality  proved  him  to  be  no  exception 
to  the  majority  of  his  associates  in  China.  We  were 
here  shown  some  of  the  most  beautiful  and  delicate 
fan-painting  that  I have  ever  come  across,  representing, 
for  the  most  part,  garden  scenes.  Asking  to  be  intro- 
duced to  the  artists,  I was  shown  into  an  apartment  at 
the  back  of  the  premises,  where  I found  three  occu- 
pants. Two  were  seated  before  a table,  engaged  in 
designing  on  the  yet  unpainted  fans,  while  the  third 
lay  stretched  on  a couch,  indulging  in  an  opium-pipe. 
They  were  all  of  them  opium-smokers ; and  it  struck 


282 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


me  that  their  most  finely  imaginative  paintings  were 
executed  under  the  influence  of  the  drug.  As  I have 
said,  the  pictures  produced  by  these  men  were  re- 
markable for  their  beauty,  and  that  because  the 
drawing  and  perspective  were  excellent,  and  the 
designs  full  of  delicacy  and  tender  feeling.  Here, 
then,  we  find  Chinese  art  pure  and  simple,  without  the 
admixture  of  any  foreign  element,  as  in  Hongkong; 
and  my  opinion  is  that  it  is  a higher  class  of  art  than 
we  are  apt  to  suppose  the  Chinese  to  possess.  But 
then  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  after  all  we  do  not 
know  much  about  China  and  her  art.  It  was  only  the 
other  day,  when  in  Peking,  that  I picked  up  one  or 
two  old  pictures  which  had  formed  part  of  the  collection 
of  a private  Chinese  gentleman,  and  that  alone  gave 
me  a much  higher  opinion  than  before  of,  at  any  rate, 
the  ancient  school  of  Chinese  artists.  One  specimen, 
a series  of  original  sketches,  representing  children  at 
play,  was  as  remarkable  for  its  quaint  humour  as  for 
its  clever  execution  ; yet  the  pictures  are  nothing  more 
pretentious  than  unelaborated  pen-and-ink  sketches. 
In  a postscript  attached  to  his  book,  the  artist  modestly 
tells  his  readers,  * I have  made  up  a portfolio  of  twelve 
sketches,  consecutively  illustrative  of  the  four  seasons 
of  the  year,  beginning  with  a representation  of  new 
year  festivities,  and  ending  with  the  drawing  of  the 
snow  lion ; and,  though  I cannot  pretend  to  the  per- 
fection of  the  artists  of  bygone  days,  perhaps  I may 
aspire  to  six  or  seven-tenths  of  their  talent.  Written 
on  the  4th  day  of  the  4th  month  of  the  year  Woo-shin, 
by  Se  Idea  of  Hang-chow.’  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  art  has  declined  in  China,  and  this  the  Chinese 
themselves  confess,  as  the  above  note  will  serve  to 


CHILDREN  A I PLAY.  ( From  a Chinese  Drawing] 


ANCIENT  CHINESE  ART. 


283 


show.  Moreover,  as  with  ourselves,  the  wealthy  and 
cultivated  classes  in  China  will  expend  large  sums  of 
money  in  collecting  the  works  of  the  ancient  masters, 
which  they  carefully  preserve.  Many  of  these  old 
paintings  have  been  executed  on  silk  scrolls,  and  thus 
a Chinese  picture  gallery  is  quite  unlike  what  we  should 
expect  to  see,  for  the  pictures  are  not  framed  and  ex- 
posed on  the  walls,  but  are  kept  carefully  rolled  up 
and  protected  against  the  light  or  air.  It  is  only  by 
some  rare  chance  that  Europeans  are  permitted  to 
view  any  of  the  art  treasures  which  are  thus  kept 
sacred  by  a host  of  private  collectors.  My  friend 
Mr.  Wylie,  who  is  well  known  to  Eastern  scholars, 
when  examining  several  old  pictures  which  I had 
brought  from  Peking,  made  some  interesting  remarks 
on  this  point.  He  said,  ‘ Many  anecdotes  are  on  hand 
re^ardinof  the  achievements  of  the  old  masters.  Thus, 
in  the  third  century  we  are  told  of  a painter,  Tsaou 
Puh-ying,  who,  when  he  had  finished  a screen  for  the 
Emperor,  added  some  flies  to  the  picture  by  a few 
touches  of  the  pencil  here  and  there  ; great  was  his 
gratification  at  seeing  his  majesty  take  up  a handker- 
chief to  drive  these  flies  away.  Not  less  celebrated 
was  Hwan  Tseuen,  who  flourished  about  a.d.  1000, 
and  who  introduced  several  pheasants  into  a mural 
decoration  in  one  of  the  halls  of  the  palace.  Some 
foreign  envoys,  who  had  brought  a tribute  of  falcons, 
were  ushered  into  this  hall ; and  no  sooner  did  the 
birds  of  prey  get  sight  of  the  pheasants  on  the  wall 
than  they  made  a precipitate  dart  at  their  victims, 
more  of  course  to  the  detriment  of  their  heads  than  to 
the  satisfa'ction  of  their  appetites.’  The  fan-painters 
of  Swatow  are  about  the  most  worthy  representatives 


284 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


of  the  ancient  masters  to  be  found  in  the  south  of 
China ; and  were  the  old  practice  still  in  vogue  of 
recruiting  the  royal  harem  from  a portrait  gallery  of 
the  belles  of  the  Empire,  the  talents  of  these  Swatow 
artists  might  find  lucrative  employment  in  picturing 
the  future  favourites  of  the  palace.  Fans  of  the  very 
best  workmanship  are  in  great  demand,  and  conse- 
quently difficult  to  procure ; and  yet  it  seems  strange 
that  this  should  be  the  case,  in  a district  where  we 
may  frequently  see  most  respectable-looking  natives 
cooling  themselves  by  an  expedient  much  more  simple 
than  the  use  of  a fan.  Between  Swatow  and  Chao- 
chow-fu  I have  met  wayfarers  on  a hot  day  stripped  to 
the  skin,  every  article  of  their  clothing  bound  around 
the  head,  and  thus  marching  along,  to  all  appearance, 
without  the  slightest  sense  of  impropriety.  The  higher 
one  ascends  the  Han  the  more  savage-looking  are  the 
people  we  encounter  there ; but,  as  I said  before,  the 
clan-fights  had  been  suppressed,  and  peace  re-estab- 
lished in  the  province,  at  a very  recent  date.  At  one 
village,  called  Oting-poe,  the  natives  some  short  time 
previously,  attacked  a boats’  crew  from  the  English 
gun-boat  ‘ Cockchafer,’  and  had  their  village  blown 
about  their  ears  in  retaliation.  The  whole  affair, 
indeed,  was  settled  with  a promptness  and  despatch 
that  took  the  semi-savage  clansmen  by  surprise,  and 
rendered  them  civil  even  to  us  within  a five-mile  radius 
from  the  ruined  walls.  At  Chao-chow-fu  my  experi- 
ence was  somewhat  different.  I got  up  one  morning 
before  daybreak  to  photograph  an  old  bridge  across 
the  river  there,  and  I fondly  thought  that,  being  so 
early  astir,  I should  get  clear  of  the  city  mob ; but,  as 
it  happened,  there  was  a market  held  on  the  top  of  the 


CHAO-CHOiV-FU. 


2»5 


bridge,  and  even  before  it  was  quite  light  long  trains 
of  produce-laden  coolies  were  pouring  in  from  every 
side.  I had  just  time  to  show  myself  and  take  a 
photograph,  when  a howling  multitude  came  rushing 
down  to  where  I stood  near  my  boat  on  the  shore. 
Amid  a shower  of  missiles  I unscrewed  my  camera, 
with  the  still  undeveloped  photograph  inside,  took 
the  apparatus  under  my  arm,  and  presenting  my  iron- 
pointed  tripod  to  the  rapidly  approaching  foe,  backed 
into  the  river  and  scrambled  on  board  the  boat.  I 
lost  the  cap  of  my  camera,  and  the  bright  lens  received 
a black  eye  of  mud  in  exchange.  However,  the  picture 
turned  out  a good  one,  and  I may  make  it  my  boast 
that  I took  the  bridge  at  the  point  of  the  tripod. 
Chao-chow-fu  bridge  is  not  unlike  that  at  Foochow 
which  spans  the  river  Min.  It  is  built  of  stone,  and 
contains  a great  many  arches,  or  rather  square  spaces, 
for  the  passage  of  boats  beneath.  On  each  side  of  the 
causeway  above  a row  of  houses  has  been  erected,  and 
these  project  beyond  the  parapets,  and  overhang  the 
stream  for  as  much  as  three-fourths  of  their  entire 
depth.  There  seems,  indeed,  to  be  no  part  of  each 
house,  except  the  brick  wall  in  front,  which  rests  upon 
the  bridge  ; while  as  to  the  fabric  itself,  it  is  held  up 
by  a series  of  long  stout  poles,  which  abut  upon  the 
projections  of  the  buttresses  below,  and  thus  serve  to 
support  the  dwelling  like  the  under-props  of  a bracket. 
This  was  what  one  would  call  a break-neck  sort  of 
architecture,  and  yet  the  great  market  of  the  town  is 
held  on  this  bridge,  and  there  we  find  the  dwelling- 
houses  and  shops  of  the  merchants.  There  they  trade 
and  there  they  sleep,  calmly  awaiting  the  hour  which 
shall  drop  them  and  their  frail  tenements  into  a muddy 


286 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


grave.  But  they  had  other  means  still  to  ensure  safety 
both  for  property  and  life.  Suspended  between  each  arch- 
way hang  two  slender  wooden  frames,  and  these  barriers 
the  householders  piously  let  down  at  night  to  deter 
malignant  spirits  from  passing  beneath  their  dwellings 
— a device,  I need  hardly  say,  universally  successful. 

Chao-chow-fu  is  open  to  foreign  trade,  and  on  one 
or  two  occasions  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  establish 
a British  Consulate  in  the  town  ; but  it  has  always 
hitherto  been  a failure.  Turbulent  mobs  continually 
stone  foreigners,  and  during  the  time  of  my  visit  the 
Vice-consul  was  the  only  European  in  the  place.  He, 
when  I told  him  how  I had  been  attacked  by  the 
rabble,  said  quietly,  ‘ You  are  no  worse  off  than  your 
neighbours  ; it  is  just  what  every  white  man  must 
expect  at  the  hands  of  the  lawless  ruffians  of  the  town.’ 
So  I was  not  sorry  when  I turned  my  back  upon  this 
part  of  Kwang-tung,  and  descended  once  more  to 
Swatow.  Every  year  sees  an  increase  in  the  number 
of  emigrants  who  leave  this  part  of  China  to  work  on 
the  plantations  in  Siam,  Cochin  China,  or  the  Straits. 
More  than  20,000  such  persons  are  computed  to  have 
sailed  from  the  port  in  1870,  and  we  may  be  sure  that 
the  price  of  labour  in  China  is  at  a very  low  ebb  when 
we  find  that  wages  running  from  two  to  four  dollars  a 
month  are  all  the  inducement  held  out  to  allure  the 
coolies  from  their  homes ; and  that  such  a sum  as  this 
even  is,  by  the  toiling  poor,  esteemed  sufficient  to 
enable  them  to  save  money  to  invest  in  a farm  on 
their  return  to  their  native  land.  It  was  up  into  this 
region  that  Juilin  sent  a military  mandarin  with  a 
force  of  2,000  men.  This  officer,  at  the  time  of  my 
visit,  was  in  the  district  known  as  Chao- Yang.  His 


FANG-YAO'S  MARCH. 


287 


task  was  approaching  completion,  and  there  was  con- 
sequently more  of  peace  and  prosperity  in  the  country 
than  had  been  its  lot  for  many  previous  years.  Fang- 
Yao,  for  that  was  the  mandarin’s  inharmonious  desig- 
nation, pursued  a rough  and  ready  sort  of  system  in 
the  conduct  of  his  operations  for  putting  matters  to 
rights.  Thus,  at  the  village  of  Go-swa,  near  Double 
Island,  he  seized  a man  named  Kwin-Kong,  well 
known  to  foreigners,  and  required  him  to  surrender 
200  of  the  chief  rebels  of  his  village.  Kwin-Kong 
produced  100,  many  of  them,  poor  wretches,  innocent 
substitutes  for  the  true  offenders.  U nder  pressure  and 
threats  a few  more  victims  were  ultimately  given  up, 
and  the  whole  were  then  beheaded,  K win- Kong’s  own 
skull  being  tossed  into  the  pile  to  swell  the  number  of 
the  sufferers.  It  must  have  been  bloody  work  ; more 
than  1,000  are  said  to  have  been  decapitated  during 
Fane-Yao’s  memorable  march. 

Swaboi,  one  of  the  most  powerful  villages  in  the 
province,  stands  about  two  miles  distant  from  Swatow, 
and  for  many  years  has  monopolised  the  right  to  supply 
coolies  to  that  town.  About  ten  years  ago,  seventeen 
other  villages  combined  against  Swaboi,  and  resolved 
by  force,  if  necessary,  to  put  a stop  to  its  monopoly  of 
labour.  The  war  lasted  four  years,  and  terminated  in 
favour  of  Swaboi.  At  such  times  the  villagers  practise 
the  most  heartless  cruelties  on  each  other,  burying  their 
enemies,  for  example,  while  still  alive,  and  head  down- 
wards, in  graves  prepared  with  quicklime  and  earth. 
It  was,  indeed,  in  this  district  that  I gathered  a notion  of 
the  inhuman  treatment  of  idiots  practised  in  some  parts 
of  China.  The  late  Dr.  Thomson,  of  Swatow,  in  one 
of  his  excursions,  observed  a small-footed  woman 


288 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


limping  along  without  her  staff.  She  showed  that  she 
was  a lunatic  by  making  for  his  sedan,  for  there  is  no 
sane  Chinawoman  in  this  quarter  who  would  not  flee 
from  a foreigner.  Arrived  in  his  presence,  she  pros- 
trated herself  at  his  feet,  as  if  he  were  some  official 
high  in  rank.  Her  hair  was  hanging  in  wild  disorder, 
and  her  head  was  fearfully  bruised  and  wounded  ; her 
arms,  too,  were  cut  and  bleeding,  and  her  dress  hung 
in  rags  about  her  shrunken  limbs.  Dr.  Thomson 
wished  to  convey  her  to  the  nearest  village  to  have 
her  wounds  dressed,  but  the  Chinese  chair-bearers 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  her ; they  said  ‘ She  is 
mad ! she  is  mad  ! let  her  herd  with  the  crows.’  I 
myself  have  seen  an  idiot  exposed  outside  a village  in 
a wooden  cage,  and  there  left  for  the  passers-by  to  feed 
him,  or  better  still,  to  starve  and  die.  I afterwards 
went  a second  time  to  see  this  being,  that  looked  more 
brute  than  man,  but  he  had  died  in  his  cage. 

Amoy  is  the  next  open  port  in  our  northern  route  ; 
and  though  situated  in  the  province  of  Fukien,  its 
geological  features  resemble  those  of  Swatow.  Thus 
the  same  decomposing  hills,  crowned  with  huge  granite 
bare  boulders,  are  to  be  seen  at  the  entrance  of  the 
harbour ; and  one  of  these  boulders,  which  faces  the 
port,  has  some  passages  connected  with  the  local 
history  of  the  place  engraven  in  huge  characters  upon 
its  stony  sides.  Several  of  them  rear  their  grey  heads 
to  a great  height  out  of  the  water,  or  above  the  shore 
close  by,  and  these  the  natives  look  up  to  with  rever- 
ence and  awe,  as  objects  intimately  connected  with 
the  Feng-shui,  or  good  luck  of  the  port.  But  in  such 
a place  as  this  it  is  but  seldom  that  good  luck  waits 
upon  the  lower  and  most  superstitious  classes.  The 


AMOY. 


289 


Amoy  men  make  good  soldiers,  so  at  least  it  is  said ; 
they  certainly  fought  well  for  their  independence,  and 
were  the  last  to  yield  to  the  Tartar  invaders,  and  those 
upon  whom  the  conquerors  seemed  to  have  pressed 
most  heavily.  To  this  day  they  wear  the  turban 
which  they  assumed  to  hide  the  tonsure  and  queue 
imposed  on  them  by  the  conquerors.  The  dialect  here 
is  so  different  from  that  spoken  in  Canton  as  to  lead 
my  boys  to  imagine  that  they  were  once  more  out  of 
China,  and  in  some  foreign  realm.  But  a glimpse  of 
the  town  quickly  reassured  them.  There  they  fall  in 
with  men  from  their  own  province,  and  with  odours 
and  appearances  so  unmistakably  Chinese  that  there 
is  no  getting  over  the  fact ; and  they  soon  acknowledge 
that  this  indeed  could  still  be  no  other  than  their  own 
Chinese  land.  At  Amoy,  as  in  Swatow  and  most 
other  Chinese  seaport  towns,  the  houses  in  the  native 
quarter  are  huddled  together  like  a crowd  of  sightseers, 
all  eager  to  stand  in  the  front  row  along  the  water’s 
edge.  Many  of  these  dwellings  are  in  a sad  state  of 
decay  and  dilapidation  ; and  the  long,  dark,  narrow 
street  which  runs  the  length  of  the  settlement  is  paved 
with  cross  flags  of  stone  so  worn  and  loose,  that  they 
rest  for  the  most  part  in  treacherous  pits  of  mud  ; and 
thus,  if  a foot  be  placed  hastily  on  the  rocking  flag,  a 
shower  of  most  offensive  dirt  is  splashed  up  over  one’s 
clothes.  Every  second  shop  reeks  with  a smell  of 
roasting  fat  and  onions.  Mangy  dogs  and  lean  pigs 
yelp  and  grunt  as  we  disturb  their  occupations. 
These  are  the  sanitary  authorities  of  the  locality,  and 
to  them  the  duty  falls  to  clear  up  the  refuse  and 
garbage.  Nor  were  these  the  only  inconveniences; 
on  nearly  every  occasion  when  I waded  my  way  along 


2go 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  uninviting  thoroughfare,  I found  it  blocked  at  some 
point  by  a strolling  band  of  players,  hired  to  perform 
in  public  by  one  of  the  more  liberal-spirited  tradesmen. 
The  approach  to  the  foreign  merchants’  establishments 
can  hardly  be  accounted  better  than  the  miserable 
Chinese  alley  which  I have  just  described  ; but  the 
offices  themselves,  when  the  difficulty  of  reaching  them 
is  overcome,  are  found  to  be  venerable  structures, 
filled  with  all  sorts  of  produce  beneath,  and  showing  all 
the  evidences  of  business  above. 

The  trade  of  this  port  has  grown,  and  is  likely  to 
continue  growing,  just  in  proportion  as  the  rich  island 
of  Formosa  opposite  is  developed,  and  its  tea,  sugar, 
and  other  products  increase.  The  import  trade,  and 
the  distribution  of  foreign  goods  inland,  is  pretty 
effectually  choked  off  by  the  illegal  system  of  transit 
duties  levied  at  the  various  stations,  and  regulated 
chiefly  by  the  need  or  avarice  of  the  local  officials  at 
the  various  points  along  the  route.  There  is  also  a 
grievous  charge  called  Lekin,  originally  imposed  as  a 
war  tax  on  foreign  goods,  and  never  since  withdrawn. 
The  only  other  ports  similarly  heavily  burdened  are 
those  of  Formosa. 

The  American  Consul,  in  writing  on  the  subject, 
said  : 1 ‘At  Swatow  the  local  taxes  levied  on  imports 
remain  unchanged  ; that  is  to  say,  about  one-fortieth 
of  what  they  are  in  Amoy  ; ’ and  he  goes  on  to  ob- 
serve ‘ that  natives  can  still  bring  foreign  goods  over- 
land from  Swatow  to  the  Amoy  districts,  and  sell 
them  at  a cheaper  rate  than  if  they  were  imported  and 
sold  direct  in  Amoy.’  This  Lekin  tax  was  instituted 
to  defray  the  expenses  either  of  the  Taiping  rebellion 
or  of  the  ‘ small  knife ' rebellion,  or  both.  The 

1 Report  on  Amoy  and  the  Island  of  Formosa,  by  A.  W.  Le  Gcndre. 


‘ THE  SMALL  KNIFE ’ REVOLT. 


291 


‘small  knife’  rebellion  of  1853  was  a serious  affair  for 
Amoy.  The  rebel  chief,  or  ringleader,  of  this  dagger 
society  was  said  to  be  a Singapore  Chinaman  of  the 
name  of  Tan-keng-chin.  The  outbreak  was,  in  fact,  a 
development  of  one  of  the  secret  societies  that  have 
been  a source  of  continual  trouble  to  all  the  countries 
into  which  Chinese  labour  has  flowed. 

In  1864,  a few  months  after  Nankin  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Imperialists,  and  when  the  cause  of  the 
Tien-Wang  or  Heavenly  King  was  all  but  crushed, 
the  last  remnant  of  his  followers  made  a final  effort 
and  captured  Chang-chow-fu,  a city  which  stands  in 
the  same  relationship  to  Amoy  as  Chao-chow-fu  to 
Swatow.  The  place  was  eventually  retaken  by  the 
Imperialists  after  a protracted  struggle  ; and  this  bar- 
barous war  then  closed,  amid  scenes  of  cold-blooded 
massacre  as  inhuman  as  any  that  have  stained  the 
annals  of  the  Taiping  revolt,  whose  overthrow  was 
brought  about  by  foreign  intervention,  and  by  one  or 
two  powerful  decisive  blows  dealt  at  the  strongholds 
of  the  rebel  towns.  Alas  ! these  successes  were  but 
too  frequently  followed  up  by  indiscriminate  slaughter, 
for  those  are  the  means  by  which  a weak  government 
seeks  to  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  people. 

Occurrences  such  as  that  which  I am  now  about  to 
describe  were  accordingly  by  no  means  rare.  The 
fight  was  ended,  and  the  fruits  of  the  victory  were 
being  reckoned  up.  It  was  reported  to  the  conqueror 
that  there  were  254  heads,  and  231  queues  and  ears 
of  people  supposed  to  be  rebels.  At  any  rate  they 
were  heads  and  ears  and  queues,  and  these  the 
Imperialist  troops  had  to  lay  at  the  feet  of  the 
authorities.  It  is  astonishing  how  some  of  these 


292 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA . 


mutilated  wretches  survived.  Thus  I myself  saw  a 
man  who  reported  that  his  head  had  been  nearly 
severed  from  his  body,  and  he  had  actually  to  hold  it 
on  until  he  reached  Amoy.  There  were  certainly 
marks  of  a severe  wound  on  the  neck,  similar  to  those 
described  by  Mr.  Hughes  in  the  ' China  Review  ’ for 
June  1873.  I have  also  seen  a man  enjoying  good 
health  who  had  both  ears  chopped  off  and  part  of  the 
scalp  carried  away.  Mr.  Hughes  again  tells  us,  in 
another  paper,  that  female  infanticide  is  perhaps  worse 
in  this  part  of  the  Fukien  province  than  in  any  other 
quarter  of  the  Empire,  and  this  corroborates  the  con- 
clusion I myself  had  come  to  from  enquiries  I made 
on  the  spot. 

Mr.  Hughes  one  day  met  a stout  well-to-do  look- 
ing man  of  the  coolie  class,  carrying  two  neat  and 
clean  round  baskets  slung  on  a pole,  which  he  bore 
across  his  shoulder.  ‘ Hearing  the  cry  of  a child,  I 
stopped  him,  when  I found  he  had  two  infants  in  each 
basket ; ’ and  it  is  recorded  that  this  crafty  old 
speculator  in  innocents  was  on  his  way  to  sell  his 
living  burden  at  the  Foundling  Hospital,  where  he 
would  receive  100  cash,  or  about  fivepence  for  a female 
child,  and  as  much  as  three  pounds  for  a boy. 

This  Foundling  Hospital  was  organised  by  a 
native  merchant  whom  I had  the  pleasure  of  meeting, 
and  it  is  a lamentable  fact  that  the  prospect  of  receiving 
fivepence  will  tempt  a mother  to  part  with  her  babe. 

The  Amoy  Hospital  is,  however,  conducted  on 
rather  more  liberal  principles  than  that  in  Canton  ; for 
if  any  one  wishes  to  obtain  a child,  he  may  get  one 
here  free  of  charge,  provided  that  he  can  deposit  suit- 
able credentials  as  to  his  own  respectability.  One  of 


THE  POOR  OF  AMOY. 


293 


the  resident  Christian  missionaries  informed  me  that 
he  felt  convinced  that  25  per  cent  of  the  female 
children  of  Amoy  were  destroyed  at  birth.  \ he 
natives  themselves  make  no  secret  of  this  crime,  and 
I saw  one  old  woman  who  confessed  to  having  made 
away  with  three  of  her  daughters  in  succession.  They 
excuse  their  misdeeds  on  the  ground  of  extreme 
poverty,  and  they  certainly  are  poor  and  wretched  to  a 
degree  I had  no  conception  of  before  I visited  their 
abodes.  The  district  around  is  naturally  barren  and 
unproductive,  and  plundering  raids  of  rebel  and  Im- 
perial troops  have  most  effectually  crippled  the  energies 
of  the  needy  inhabitants.  War,  it  is  true,  has  thinned 
the  population,  but  not  to  such  an  extent  as  materially 
to  affect  its  density. 

An  able-bodied  man  can  here  earn  only  fivepence  a 
day,  and  skilled  workmen,  of  whom  there  are  many, 
are  paid  about  eightpence  per  diem.  There  is  a great 
trade  carried  on  in  one  quarter  of  the  town,  or  rather 
in  a suburb,  in  the  collection  and  preparation  ol 
manure,  which  is  afterwards  sold  to  the  farmers  to 
fertilise  their  poor  lands.  The  people  who  deal  in  this 
commodity  dwell  on  the  edge  of  the  foul  pits  into 
which  filth  of  all  sorts  is  thrown,  and  for  the  use  of  the 
hovels  in  which  they  reside  many  of  them  pay  about 
fivepence  a month  in  rent. 

Close  to  this  spot  is  a hill  on  which  the  poor  are 
buried.  There  is  no  lack  of  recent  graves,  but  all  such 
are  covered  with  lime,  mixed  with  fragments  of  glass 
and  pottery,  in  order  to  keep  pigs  and  dogs  from 
digging  up  the  bodies.  How  the  people  subsist  here 
it  is  hard  to  say!  Judging  from  the  multitude  of 
graves  they  must  die  in  great  numbers,  and  who  can 


294 


IND  O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


wonder  at  it,  in  an  atmosphere  that  smells  so  putrid  ? 
I looked  into  one  or  two  of  the  dwellings ; they  were 
single-roomed  huts,  reared  above  the  naked  sod.  Often 
they  contained  no  furniture  at  all,  and  their  ragged 
lean  occupants  were  filthy  in  the  extreme ; and  yet 
numerous  children  were  to  be  seen  running  about, 
pitching  pebbles  into  the  pools,  or  chasing  the  pigs  and 
pariah  dogs,  to  prevent  them  from  eating  up  the  only 
article  of  trade  in  the  locality.  Most  of  the  children 
were  boys,  and  boys  after  all  cost  as  much  to  nurse 
and  rear  as  females  would ; so  that  the  pressure  of 
immediate  want  will  not  suffice  alone  to  account  for 
infanticide.  Want  is  doubtless  one  of  the  causes,  an 
indirect  as  well  as  a direct  one,  and  this  because  it 
induces  a supreme  callousness,  and  a savage  stony 
selfishness  of  heart,  which  petrifies  the  instincts  of 
maternity,  and  renders  a mother  capable  of  selling  or 
even  destroying  her  child. 

There  was  another  hill  not  far  off,  and  commanding 
a view  of  the  harbour.  On  this  I found  a row  of 
glazed  earthern  pots,  each  containing  a skeleton ; one 
had  been  broken,  and  the  bones  lay  scattered  over  the 
face  of  the  rock,  while  a number  of  children  were 
playing  catch-ball  with  the  skull.  What  mean  these 
dishonoured  relics,  over  which  some  Ezekiel  might 
prophecy,  lamenting  the  degradation  of  his  people  ? 
These  are  the  remains  deposited  here  to  await  inter- 
ment— a ceremony  which  can  only  be  properly  accom- 
plished by  attending  to  the  times  and  places  which  the 
Feng-shui  may  prescribe.  But  alas  ! too  many  of  these 
unsepulchered  skeletons  will  never  know  any  resting- 
place  more  hallowed  than  the  pots  in  which  they  were 
originally  stored.  There  they  crumble  unfriended  and 


ARTIFICIAL  FLOWER-MAKERS. 


295 


forgotten,  for  their  surviving  kinsmen  are  perhaps  them- 
selves cut  off  from  the  land,  or  else  too  poor  to  pay  tht 
expenses  of  the  for  ever  deferred  burial  rites.  Now, 
then,  my  readers  can  appreciate  the  true  motives  of  a 
Chinaman  who,  as  I have  said  already,  will  devote  his 
earnings  to  the  purchase  of  a coffin,  funeral  raiment,  and 
a burial  site  in  anticipation,  many  years  before  his  death. 

My  sketch  of  Amoy  thus  far  has  been  a dark  one, 
and  yet  the  true  picture  is  not  without  some  glances  of 
light,  striking  down  even  into  the  lowest  quarters  of 
the  town.  Thus,  in  one  of  my  many  perambulations,  I 
came  to  a very  narrow  and  very  dark  lane,  where  I 
found  the  humble  tenants  of  the  houses  engaged  in 
what,  to  me,  was  quite  a new  industry.  Men,  women, 
and  children  were  all  busily  occupied  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  most  beautiful  artificial  flowers,  from  a pith  ob- 
tained in  Formosa,  from  the  same  plant  ( Aralia  papy- 
riferd)  as  that  out  of  which  the  so-called  rice-paper  is 
made.  I entered  shop  after  shop,  and  everywhere  found 
thousands  of  flowers  spread  out  on  trays,  and  each  one 
so  life-like  that  it  might  almost  be  mistaken  for  nature 
herself.  But  tiny  hands  were  at  work  here  too,  and 
roses,  lilies,  azalias  or  camelias,  grew  up  with  wonderful 
celerity  beneath  them.  The  workshops  are  the  dwel- 
lings, the  offices,  and  the  warehouses  of  each  firm,  or 
family  ; and  the  workers  within  are  so  closely  packed 
that  strangers  not  unfrequently  must  watch  the  process, 
or  make  a purchase,  by  taking  up  a position  outside. 
I bought  a great  many  of  these  flowers  from  a man  in 
a very  mean  shop  indeed.  He  was  extremely  poor, 
and  he  asked  me  for  an  advance  of  money,  offering  to 
furnish  security  if  I wished.  I lent  him  a few  dollars 
without  troubling  him  for  securities  ; and  though  I knew 


296 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


nothing  about  him,  he  carried  out  the  transaction  with 
the  most  scrupulous  honesty. 

There  are  many  wealthy  Chinese  merchants  in 
Amoy,  who  live  in  good  style  and  in  superior  houses 
on  the  hills  above  and  beyond  the  town.  On  those 
hills,  too,  we  may  find  temples  and  monastic  establish- 
ments, built  in  the  most  romantic  situations  among 
great  granite  boulders  which  tower  in  some  places 
many  hundred  feet  above  the  plain.  Thus  from  the 
rock  on  which  the  ‘White  Stag’  monastery  stands 
one  obtains  a commanding  view  of  the  town,  harbour, 
and  island  of  Ku-lang-su.  It  is  on  Ku-lang-su 
that  European  settlers  chiefly  reside ; and  there  the 
houses,  environed  with  parks  and  gardens,  are  second 
to  none  in  China.  Some  Christian  missions  also  are 
established  in  the  same  quarter,  and  not  unfittingly,  for 
there  is  a wide  opening  for  mission  labour  in  a field  so 
benighted  and  so  woe-stricken  as  Amoy.  I may  add, 
however,  that  in  spite  of  all  I have  related  of  the 
townsfolk  and  their  peculiar  institutions,  one  may  pass 
a month  very  agreeably  in  Amoy,  and  the  warm  hospi- 
tality of  the  merchants  there  will  add,  not  a little,  to 
the  pleasure  of  the  trip.  I had  every  facility  afforded 
me  for  visiting  places  of  interest.  Thus  one  gentleman 
would  place  his  boat  at  my  disposal,  and  another  would 
lend  me  his  pony  for  a little  exercise  on  the  race- 
course. This  race-course  is  situated  on  a narrow  plain, 
close  under  some  of  those  forts  which  fell  one  after 
the  other  into  our  hands  in  1841.  A few  huge  rusty 
guns  still  remain  on  the  spot  to  mark  the  scene  of  a 
struggle  which  ended  in  the  capture  of  the  island  of 
Amoy.  This  island  has  been  a favourite  foreign 
trading  resort  for  two  or  three  centuries  past,  but  it 
is  only  of  late  years  that  its  commerce  has  become 


CROSSING  TO  FORMOSA. 


297 


important.  I saw  a number  of  old  European  grave 
stones  on  the  hills,  some  dating  back  to  the  fifteenth 
century. 

From  Amoy  I crossed  over  by  steamer  to  Formosa 
on  April  1,  1871  ; but  before  I left  the  harbour  I had 
time  to  pull  off  to  the  steamship  ‘ Yesso,’  and  take  a 
hurried  leave  of  an  esteemed  friend,  broken  down  in 
health,  and  then  homeward  bound.  I never  saw  him 
again,  for  he  died  before  reaching  home.  His  is,  alas ! 
a too  frequent  case ; the  invalid  lingers  on  in  a climate 
that  is  undermining  his  health,  in  the  hope  that  the 
cold  season  may  set  him  up  again  for  work.  Too  late 
he  discovers  that  he  can  bear  no  further  delay  ; the  cold 
season  is  long  in  coming,  and  at  last  he  hastens  to  seek 
the  sea-breezes  in  the  homeward-bound  steamer,  which 
only  carries  him  to  his  grave.  I had  a pleasant  com- 
panion in  Dr.  Maxwell,  the  medical  missionary  of  Tai- 
wan-fu,  in  Formosa,  and  from  him  I heard  some  in- 
teresting accounts  of  the  savages  on  this  strange 
island.  Leaving  the  harbour  at  5 p.m.,  we  passed  the 
Pescadore  group  of  islands  at  daybreak  next  morning. 
The  wind  all  the  while  blew  strongly  from  the  north, 
forcing  me  to  forego  my  dinner,  and  to  confine  myself 
a prisoner  in  my  berth,  until  I was  summoned  on 
deck  to  see  land.  It  was  a grateful  sight,  very,  but 
how  the  ship  was  rolling ! and  the  land,  alas  ! the  only 
thing  that  struck  me  about  it  was  that  it  must  be  a very 
long  way  off.  Having  once  gained  my  sea  legs,  I had 
one  or  two  hours  leisure  to  scrutinise  the  coast  and  the 
inland  mountain  ranges,  which  lost  themselves  in  the 
clouds  above.  A narrow  rocky  inlet  was  pointed  out 
to  me  as  the  only  harbour  accessible  in  this  quarter ; 
and  it  was  abreast  of  this  spot,  some  two  miles  from 
shore,  that  the  steamer  came  to  her  moorings.  Here 


298 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


on  a sudden  I found  myself  keenly  interested  in  the 
experiences  of  a Malay  on  board,  who  informed  me 
that  vessels  were  constantly  being  wrecked  along  this 
shore,  and  that  their  crews  were  invariably  eaten  to  a 
man  by  the  bloodthirsty  savages,  who  perpetually 
scoured  the  beach  in  search  of  prey.  He  had  probably 
heard  of  the  wreck  of  the  schooner  ‘Macto’  in  1859, 
and  how  the  crew  were  massacred  on  this  very  beach 
by  the  natives  ; or  else  he  may  have  been  referring  to 
the  murder,  at  a later  date,  of  a number  of  American 
castaways  by  the  Aboriginies  further  south.  That 
certain  native  tribes  here  are  cannibals  there  can  be 
little  doubt ; and  they  have  assuredly  robbed  and 
murdered  unfortunate  men  and  women  who  have  from 
time  to  time  been  wrecked  upon  their  shores.  It  is  to 
punish  outrages  of  this  sort  that  a Japanese  army  has 
lately  been  despatched  to  Formosa,  in  retaliation  for 
some  particular  barbarities  which  chance  to  have  been 
practised  upon  a Japanese  crew;  so  say  the  Japanese. 
As  Formosa  is  a Chinese  possession,  it  is  hard  to  tell 
how,  or  where  this  armed  interference  on  the  part  of  the 
Japanese  may  end.  I predicted,  in  my  previous  work, 
the  probability  of  coming  difficulties  between  Japan 
and  China,  as  the  former  is  now  beginning  to  look 
upon  her  Chinese  neighbours  in  the  light  of  inferiors. 

We  are  told  by  the  ‘ Pall  Mall  Gazette’  that  when 
the  Japanese  fleet  anchored  off  Formosa,  and  before  a 
single  soldier  landed,  a Chinese  corvette  and  a gun- 
boat steamed  into  sight  with  guns  run  out,  men  at 
quarters,  and  everything  prepared  for  action.  Between 
them,  these  two  vessels,  as  they  assure  us,  might  have 
sunk  the  whole  Japanese  squadron;  but  after  some 
palaver,  the  Chinese  men-of-war  quietly  steamed  off 
again,  and  the  Japanese  troops  were  landed. 


FORMOSA. 


2gi) 


Before  we  disembark  and  proceed  on  our  journey 
inland,  it  may  be  as  well  to  give  the  reader  some 
general  notion  of  the  island  and  its  position.  Isla 
Formosa,  or  the  Beautiful  Island,  as  the  Portuguese 
named  it,  lies  at  the  distance  of  about  one  hundred 
miles  off  the  mainland,  and  was  discovered  by  an 
enterprising  Celestial,  who,  getting  up  one  morning 
before  his  neighbours,  a few  hundred  years  ago,  to  see 
the  sun  rise  over  the  ocean,  discovered  the  mountain 
peaks  of  Formosa. 

In  time  the  Chinese  crossed  over  and  planted  a 
settlement  on  the  island,  driving  the  savages  high  up 
into  the  almost  inaccessible  mountains. 

Formosa  runs  nearly  north  and  south,  its  length  is 
about  250  miles,  and  it  is  about  84  miles  broad  across 
its  widest  part.  Down  its  centre  a rocky  spine  of  lofty 
mountains  stretches  longitudinally  nearly  from  sea  to 
sea,  with  peaks,  in  some  places,  about  twelve  thou- 
sand feet  high.  The  Chinese  occupy  only  the  western 
half  of  the  island  and  a small  portion  at  its  northern 
extremity,  while  the  whole  of  the  mountainous  region 
to  the  east  is  held  by  independent  tribes  of  Aborigines. 
The  island  is  ruled  over  by  a Taotai  resident  at 
Taiwanfu,  and  appointed  by  the  Central  Government. 
The  Taotai  of  Formosa  is  the  only  officer  of  the  same 
rank  in  the  Empire  who  enjoys  the  privilege  of  direct 
appeal  to  the  throne.  The  population  is  about  three 
millions,  viz.,  two  and  a-half  million  Chinese,  and  half 
a million  Aborigines. 

Naturalists  suppose  that  Formosa  has  originally 
been  joined  to  the  mainland  ; and  what  confirms  them 
in  this  view  is  the  great  similarity  of  its  flora  and  fauna 
to  that  of  the  nearest  provinces  of  China.  But  let  us 
land  and  see  for  ourselves. 


3°° 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Takovv  Harbour,  Formosa — La-mah-kai — Difficulties  of  Navigation — 
Tai-wan-fu — The  Taotai — His  Yamen — How  to  cancel  a State  Debt— 
The  Dutch  in  1661— Sylvan  Lanes — Medical  Missions — A Journey  to 
the  Interior — Old  Watercourses — Broken  Land — Hak-ka  Settlers — 
Poah-be — Pepohoan  Village — Baksa  Valley — The  name  ‘ Isla  Formosa  ’ 
— A Long  March — The  Central  Mountains — Bamboo  Bridges — ‘ Pau- 
ah-liau  ’ Village — The  Physician  at  Work — Ka-san-po  Village — A Wine- 
feast — Interior  of  a Hut — Pepohoan  Dwellings — A Savage  Dance — 
Savage  Hunting-grounds — La-lung  Village — Lakoli  Village — Return 
Journey. 


A Chinese  pilot,  named  Opium,  came  off  to  the 
steamer,  and  brought  her  to  a secure  anchorage  about 
a mile  from  shore.  There  was  a pretty  heavy  sea  on 
at  this  time,  rendering  it  dangerous,  even  in  a surf-boat, 
to  make  for  the  mouth  of  the  harbour ; so  Dr.  Maxwell 
and  I determined  to  go  ashore  with  Opium,  trusting  to 
his  local  knowledge  to  land  us  safely  somewhere  along 
the  coast.  This  pilot  was  a cool,  imperturbable  seaman, 
a daring  specimen,  who  had  been  out  in  all  weathers, 
and  who  was  said  to  have  earned  his  singular  cognomen 
of  Opium  from  his  notoriety  as  a smuggler  of  that 
valuable  drug.  It  is  truly  wonderful  how  in  California 
the  genius  of  the  Chinese  race  has  been  times  without 

o 

number  equal  to  the  task  of  carrying  on  an  untaxed 
opium  traffic,  and  that  too  under  a system  of  police 
surveillance  that  only  falls  short  of  submitting  the 
Chinaman  and  his  effects  to  a process  of  sublimation, 
which  would  leave  the  hidden  juices  of  the  narcotic 


TAKOW. 


30 1 


behind.  Nevertheless,  their  dodges  have  been  detected 
one  by  one ; a layer  of  opium  glued  in  between  the 
polished  sides  of  a trunk  will  never  reach  shore,  nor 
pass  unnoticed  though  wrought  into  the  well-made  soles 
of  a silken  boot,  or  stitched  into  the  skirts  of  a padded 
robe.  But  we  are  now  on  the  top  of  the  breakers, 
plunging  as  if  the  boat  were  going  bow-foremost  to  the 
bottom.  Opium  is  looking  calmly  on  the  while,  with 
a countenance  at  once  soothing  and  reassuring.  We 
soon  roll  over  the  last  billow,  and  are  swept  into  a small 
haven  amid  the  rocks.  These  rocks  are  of  igneous 
formation,  and  look  like  molten  metal  suddenly  chilled 
while  in  a state  of  violent  ebullition.  We  land,  and 
scramble  over  a multitude  of  cell-like  cavities,  with 
edges  hard  as  flint  and  sharp  as  splintered  glass. 
Many  of  these  cavities  have  the  hollows  filled  up  with 
a little  sandy  soil,  in  which  luxuriant  shrubs  and  a sort 
of  dwarf  date-palm  grow.  The  wet  sand  along  the 
beach  was  of  a deep  black  hue. 

As  we  made  our  way  through  the  native  town  of 
Takow  I was  much  struck  with  the  tropical  appearance 
of  the  place,  and  with  the  shady  palms,  which  reminded 
us  of  the  villages  in  the  Malayan  Archipelago.  But 
evidently  neither  Mohammedans  nor  Malays  dwelt  here, 
for  huge  porkers  roamed  free  about  the  settlement,  or 
kept  watch  around  the  cabin  doors.  At  length  we 
reached  the  Mission  Station,  and  met  with  a cordial  wel- 
come. Here  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ritchie  gave  me  some  notion 
of  the  lawless  state  which  prevailed  in  this  portion  of 
the  island.  One  day,  when  on  a mission-trip  inland,  he 
fell  in  with  the  deputy  magistrate  (Chinese)  of  the 
Tung-shan  district,  returning  to  his  ‘ Yamen  ’ from  a 
place  called  La-ma-kai,  with  a troop  of  armed  retainers 
at  his  heels.  Passing  this  official,  and  proceeding  on  to 


302 


INN  0- CHINA  ANN  CHINA. 


La-mah-kai,  my  friend  there  met  a band  of  ruffians  carry- 
ing spears,  daggers,  and  firearms  ; and  behind  them  fol- 
lowed an  old  woman,  who  besought  the  marauders  to 
return  her  son’s  matchlock,  which  one  of  them  had  just 
stolen  from  her  house.  The  first  question  asked  of  Mr. 
Ritchie,  when  he  reached  the  Chinaman’s  hut  where  he 
proposed  to  sleep,  was  whether  these  armed  men  had 
been  seen,  as  they  were  a band  of  highway-robbers  that 
had  been  plundering  the  neighbouring  settlements.  The 
magistrate,  it  appeared,  had  been  despatched  by  his 
superior  officer  to  seize  on  a rich  relative  of  one  of  the 
bandits,  and  to  hold  him  as  a hostage  ; but  the  crafty 
knaves  had  been  forewarned  of  the  threatened  surprise, 
most  probably  by  one  of  the  servants  in  the  mandarin’s 
train,  and  had  forthwith  met  their  enemy  with  so  over- 
whelming a force  as  to  compel  him  to  an  undignified 
and  speedy  retreat. 

A wholesome  dread  of  Europeans,  inspired  by  the 
vigorous  action  of  Lieutenant  Gordon  at  Tai-wan-fu, 
saved  my  friend  from  falling  an  easy  prey  into  the 
hands  of  the  gang. 

Two  or  three  of  the  European  firms  at  Amoy  have 
branch  establishments  in  Takow,  or  had  at  the  time  I 
speak  of  (April  1871);  and  behind  these  foreign  houses 
there  rises  a hill  more  than  1 ,000  feet  high,  and  com- 
monly known  as  Apes’  Hill,  from  the  large  apes,  its 
only  inhabitants,  which  may  be  seen  in  great  numbers 
about  the  crags.  From  this  hill  I obtained  a com- 
manding view  of  Takow  harbour,  and  the  observations 
which  I made  here,  as  well  as  closer  inspections  carried 
out  from  other  points,  led  me  to  the  conclusion  that,  in 
the  hands  of  a civilised  foreign  power,  a portion  of  the 
soft  sandy  lagoon,  which  is  gradually  invading  and 


TAKOW  HARBOUR. 


3°3 


narrowing  the  available  anchorage  of  the  harbour, 
might  soon  be  added  to  the  now  limited  accommodation 
for  shipping  ; while  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  port 
might  no  less  easily  be  removed.  As  the  case  now 
stands,  with  wind  and  tide  favourable,  a barque  drawing 
twelve  feet  of  water  can  find  her  way  through  the 
rocky  entrance.  Rapid  physical  changes  have  taken 
place  within  a recent  period  on  this  the  western  side  of 
Formosa,  as  I shall  be  able  to  demonstrate  conclusively 
when  we  get  to  a point  further  north.  It  struck  me, 
however,  that  the  natural  formation  of  the  harbour  of 
Takow  belongs  to  a modern  date.  Thus  when  the  Dutch 
occupied  the  island  a considerable  river  existed  at  the 
southern  extremity,  and  the  channel,  now  nearly  dry, 
is  still  known  as  ‘ Ang-mang-kang,’  or  estuary  of  the 
red-haired  race.  The  combined  action  of  the  sea  silting 
up  ctibris  on  the  one  side,  and  of  the  river  on  the 
other,  has  formed  a natural  barrier  several  miles  in 
extent,  now  covered  with  a belt  of  most  luxuriant 
tropical  trees.  This  bar  is  joined  at  its  northern  ex- 
tremity by  a ridge  of  igneous  rocks ; and  it  is  in  this 
ridge  that  the  break  or  flaw  occurs  which  forms  the 
mouth  of  the  harbour.  Much  of  the  six  or  seven  miles 
enclosed  by  this  natural  wall  consists  of  a shallow 
lagoon,  with  a bottom  of  extremely  soft  mud.  It  is 
only  towards  the  northern  end  that  a depth  of  water  is 
obtained  sufficient  for  ships  trading  to  the  island. 

Owing  to  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country  I 
deferred  my  visit  to  the  aboriginal  tribes  of  the  south, 
and  went  with  Dr.  Maxwell  to  see  Tai-wan-fu,  the 
capital,  twenty-five  miles  further  north  on  the  coast. 
Starting  at  daylight  in  the  steamer  ‘ Formosa,’  we 
reached  the  outer  roads  at  8 o’clock.  It  is  singular  to 

23 


304 


IND 0-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


observe  that  there  is  now  no  harbour  at  Tai-wan-fu. 
We  could  descry  the  old  fort  Zelandia,  erected  there 
by  the  Dutch  in  1633,  about  two  and  a half  miles  from 
where  we  lay,  and  surrounded  by  water  so  shallow  as 
to  render  any  nearer  approach  impossible  ; and  yet  in 
the  Dutch  accounts  of  Formosa  it  is  stated  that 
Zelandia  was  an  island  where  a spacious  haven  was 
formed  ; and  further,  that  on  April  31st,  1661,  Kok- 
singa’s  fleet  appeared  before  Tai-wan-fu,  ran  into  the 
spacious  haven  between  Zelandia  and  Provincia,  and 
came  to  anchor  between  the  two  forts.  The  two  forts 
referred  to  are  Zelandia  and  Provincia,  separated  by  a 
distance  of  more  than  three  miles ; and  the  haven  in 
which  the  Chinese  invader  anchored  his  fleet  is  now  a 
dry  arid  plain  crossed  by  a high  road,  and  having 
a canal  cut  through  it,  communicating  with  the  old 
port  of  Tai-wan-fu.  A small  portion  of  the  plain 
is  flooded  at  high  tide,  while  off  the  fort  the  water  is 
now  so  shallow  that  vessels  have  to  anchor,  as  we  did, 
two  miles  out  to  sea.  Neither  is  it  an  easy  or  a safe 
business  to  cross  these  vast  shallows,  at  least  when  the 
sea  is  rough  ; and  if  there  is  a strong  south-west  mon- 
soon blowing,  it  cannot  be  done  at  all.  As  for  our- 
selves, we  went  ashore  in  a catamaran,  a sort  of  raft 
made  of  poles  of  the  largest  species  of  bamboo.  These 
poles  are  bent  by  fire  so  as  to  impart  a hollow  shape  to 
the  raft,  and  are  lashed  together  with  ratan.  A strong 
wooden  block,  made  fast  to  the  centre  of  this  surf-boat, 
supports  the  mast,  which  carries  a large  mat  sail. 
There  is  not  a nail  used  in  the  whole  contrivance,  and 
the  most  curious  feature  about  the  strange  vessel  is  the 
accommodation  provided  for  passengers.  This  is 
nothing  more  than  a capacious  tub.  I thought  it  pos- 


TAI-  WAN-FU. 


305 


sible  at  first  that  these  were  the  boats  of  the  local 
washerwomen  ; but,  so  far  as  washing  is  concerned,  the 
natives  of  Formosa  confine  themselves  to  washing 
their  customers  occasionally  ashore  in  the  tub  and 
mangling  them  on  the  beach — a very  simple  process, 
for  the  tub  is  in  no  way  fixed  to  the  raft,  so  that  a heavy- 
sea  would,  and  does  frequently,  send  it  adrift.  The 
tub  into  which  we  descended  would  hold  four  persons, 
and  when  we  squatted  down  inside  it  we  could  just  see 
over  the  top.  Not  feeling  very  comfortable,  we  came 
out  and  sat  on  the  bare  raft,  to  which  we  had  at  times 
to  cling  manibus  pedibusque  as  the  waves  broke  over  us. 

Tai-wan-fu,  the  capital  of  Formosa,  is  a fortified  city 
of  70,000  inhabitants.  The  walls  enclose  a space  of 
about  five  miles  round,  planted  to  a great  extent  with 
fields  and  gardens,  and  still  showing  traces  of  the 
ancient  Dutch  occupation,  in  the  ruins  of  Fort 
Provincia  and  in  the  extensive  parks  shaded  with  fine 
old  trees  or  groves  of  tall  bamboo.  The  suburbs  are 
intersected  by  a multitude  of  green  lanes,  which  run 
between  walls  of  cactus,  interspersed  with  the  brilliant 
flowers  of  the  wild  fuschia,  and  clusters  of  major  con- 
volvulus, or  else  shaded  by  bamboo  hedges,  which 
form  a pointed  archway  above  the  path.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  this  part  of  the  island  are  chiefly  natives  of  the 
Fukien  province,  and  the  Hak-kas  already  described. 
These  between  them  are  daily  carrying  arts  and 
agriculture  further  into  the  territory  claimed  by  the 
aboriginal  tribes. 

Armed  with  an  official  introduction  I paid  a visit  to 
the  ‘ T aotai  ’ (or  governor)  of  T ai-wan  (F ormosa).  Wait- 
ing in  my  chair  outside  his  yamen  while  my  card — a red 
one,  the  size  of  a large  sheet  of  note  paper — was  sent  in, 


3°6 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


I found  myself  surrounded  by  the  idle  crowd  that  is 
always  certain  to  collect  about  a stranger  in  China — 
whence  the  gazers  came,  and  whither  they  go  would 
be  difficult  to  tell — and  all  sorts  of  conjectures  being 
thrown  out  as  to  the  nature  of  my  business.  A little 
naked  boy,  with  a face  full  of  perfectly  untutored  in- 
nocent curiosity,  ventured  a trifle  too  near,  so  I leaned 
slightly  forward  and  frowned  at  him.  Bursting  into  a 
fit  of  screaming  terror,  he  fled  from  the  yamen,  while 
the  mob  looked  grave,  and  wondered  what  devilry  I 
could  have  practised  on  the  child.  Soon  an  officer 
appeared,  and  behind  him  followed  a train  of  yamen 
attendants,  who  wore  the  usual  conical  hats  with  red 
feathers  that  suggested  the  idea  of  flames  burning 
through  the  top  of  an  extinguisher.  Thus  escorted,  I 
was  ushered  into  the  yamen.  Passing  through  the 
hall  of  justice,  I noticed  various  instruments  of  torture, 
the  substitutes  for  our  sacred  oath,  to  extract  truth 
from  a witness,  or  confession  from  the  lips  of  a 
prisoner.  Here  I met  a more  venerable  official, 
dressed  in  a long  silk  robe,  a stiff  girdle,  and  heavily- 
soled  satin  boots.  By  him  I was  conducted  through  a 
court,  and  along  a series  of  corridors,  and  finally 
presented  to  the  Taotai,  with  infinitely  greater  official 
ceremony  and  pomposity  than  when  I was  introduced 
to  Prince  Kung,  or  Li-hung  Chang.  Indeed  it  seems 
to  me  that  the  Chinese  are  not  exempt  from  the 
peculiarity  which  makes  small  officials  everywhere  self- 
important,  and  fearfully  exacting  in  all  matters  touching 
their  personal  dignity.  The  private  quarters  of  the 
Taotai  and  his  retainers  were  prettily  laid  out,  the 
open  courts  being  shaded  with  palms,  and  decked  with 
flowers  in  vases,  besides  shrubs,  ferns,  and  creepers  ; 


7HE  TAOTAI  OF  TAI-WAN. 


3°7 


and  the  whole  interior  was  surrounded  with  saloons  or 
pavilions. 

Into  one  of  these  last  I was  led,  and  there  presented 
to  a full-faced  pleasant-looking  Chinaman  who,  to  my 
surprise,  held  out  his  hand,  and  addressing  me  in  per- 
fect English,  said,  ‘ Good  morning,  Mr.  Thomson,  I am 
glad  to  see  you  here  ; when  did  you  come  over  ? ’ I 
recognised  the  speaker,  after  a time,  as  a man  whom  I 
had  met  in  Hongkong  as  a compradore,  or  a schroff  in 
a bank.  He  told  me  he  was  the  nephew  of  the  Taotai, 
and  I have  a strong  suspicion  that  that  functionary 
himself  had  at  one  time  been  engaged  in  trade,  and 
that  he  had  somehow  obtained  this  post,  out  of  which, 
if  report  spoke  true,  he  was  making  a very  good  thing 
indeed.  After  partaking  of  tea  and  fruit,  my  friend, 
whose  mind  was  evidently  imbued  with  the  notion  that 
I had  come  to  the  place  on  some  secret  mission,  tried 
all  he  could  to  gain  exact  information  as  to  my  inten- 
tions. I told  him  plainly  that  my  purpose  was  to  go 
into  the  heart  of  the  island  to  see  the  aborigines.  He 
wanted  to  know  why  I should  take  the  trouble  to 
trudge  so  far  on  foot,  through  a region  where  no  proper 
roads  existed,  merely  to  see  the  place,  with  the 
chance  perhaps  of  being  killed.  ‘ Depend  upon  it,’  he 
assured  me,  * you  will  never  get  near  them  ; you  will  be 
shot  with  poisoned  arrows,  or  lose  yourself  in  the 
forest  paths.  But  come  and  see  the  Taotai.’  This 
gentleman  was  rather  a good-looking  man,  of  middle 
age,  and  said  to  be  remarkable  for  his  administrative 
ability.  At  any  rate,  although  apparently  affected 
with  suspicions  as  to  my  design  in  visiting  the  abori- 
gines, he  showed  me  some  kindness,  and,  in  return  for  a 
portrait  which  I took  for  him,  he  sent  me  a small  box 


3°8 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA.  ■ 


of  tea  and  some  dried  lichees.  The  tea  unfortunately 
spoiled  before  I reached  Hongkong,  but  the  lichees 
were  very  good. 

A curious  incident  occurred  in  this  town  during  the 
rule  of  the  preceding  Taotai.  When  the  fort  of 
Anping  had  been  stormed  by  Lieut.  Gordon  and  his 
party,  the  military  mandarin  in  command  of  the  troops 
at  Anping  was  supposed  in  some  measure  to  have 
failed  in  his  duty.  To  this  charge  was  added  an  accu- 
sation of  treason  ; for  it  was  known  that  he  had  saluted 
Mr.  Gibson,  the  late  British  Consul,  with  three  guns, 
when  that  functionary  left  for  Amoy.  This  unworthy 
commander,  then,  was  dining  one  night  with  the  Prefect, 
when  a message  was  sent  from  the  Taotai,  directing  the 
Prefect  to  detain  his  military  guest  until  morning.  At 
daybreak  a second  messenger  arrived,  who  brought 
instructions  for  the  Prefect  to  repair  with  his  prisoner 
to  the  Taotai’s  yamen,  and  forthwith,  as  the  business 
was  urgent.  When  they  reached  the  yamen,  a servant 
came  out  to  say  that  the  Taotai  would  not  receive  the 
military  mandarin,  and  ordered  him  to  prepare  for 
instant  death.  The  unhappy  officer  insisted  on  an 
interview,  and  with  his  men  forced  his  way  into  the 
yamen,  where  he  demanded  an  appeal  to  the  Emperor. 
The  Taotai  informed  him  that  the  edict  had  been 
received  from  Peking,  had  him  stripped  of  his  official 
clothes,  hurried  off,  and  put  to  death  on  the  spot.  In 
another  such  instance  of  summary  vengeance  a wealthy 
mandarin,  who  had  aided  the  government  with  loans 
of  money,  determined,  as  he  saw  no  probability  of  re- 
payment, to  withhold  a certain  proportion  of  the  local 
taxes.  Shortly  after  he  had  taken  this  step  an  official 
was  dispatched  by  the  Governor-general  to  inquire 


A NEW  WAY  TO  PAY  OLD  DEBTS. 


3°9 


into  the  matter.  The  district  governor  hereupon 
invited  the  defaulter  to  a quiet  dinner  to  meet  the 
governor-general’s  emissary,  and  during  the  course  of 
a convivial  evening  the  host  and  his  friend  between 
them  so  managed  to  outrage  the  feelings  of  the  guest 
that  a quarrel  finally  ensued.  Then  the  ‘•yamen 
runners  ’ were  called  in,  the  expostulating  guest  was 
cut  down,  and  this  was  the  new  way  in  which  an  old 
state  debt  was  paid. 

A large  tract  of  land  outside  Tai-wan-fu  is  known 
as  the  execution-ground,  and  this  spot  I visited  in 
company  with  Dr.  Maxwell.  I tried  to  make  a picture 
out  of  it,  but  there  was  nothing  to  lend  pictorial  grace 
to  the  scene ; for  the  plain  here  is  a perfectly  flat  one, 
whence  the  grand  old  trees  of  Tai-wan  may  be 
seen  crowding  away  into  the  background,  as  if  they 
shrunk  from  rooting  themselves  in  unhallowed  earth. 
Hardly  a shrub  relieves  the  monotony  of  this  gloomy 
place  of  death  ; and  yet  with  what  a fearful  interest  it 
must  have  been  gazed  on  by  that  band  of  Europeans, 
160  in  number,  who  were  led  out  there  to  execution 
one  morning  in  August  1842  ! The  mob  of  the  city 
followed  behind  them  with  yells  of  exultation ; but  before 
the  terrible  massacre  had  closed,  their  savage  laughter 
was  changed  into  panic  terror,  for  the  sky  became 
overcast,  and  a dire  storm  burst  upon  the  scene.  The 
watercourses  were  filled  with  impetuous  torrents  that 
flooded  the  land,  sweeping  trees,  houses  and  produce 
before  its  swollen  streams,  while  the  cries  of  perishing 
people  were  drowned  in  the  fierce  tumult  of  the 
tempest.  Thus,  say  the  thoughtful  and  superstitious 
natives,  God  wiped  out  the  bloody  stain  from  the 
ground.  It  is  alleged  that  about  2,000  persons 


310  INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

perished  on  that  eventful  day.  A tragic  history 
attaches  to  Tai-wan-fu,  apart  both  from  the  incident 
which  I have  just  related,  and  the  storming  of  Anping 
fort,  more  recently  still — an  event  too  full  of  details  to 
permit  description  here. 

In  olden  times  the  city  was  the  scene  of  the  fierce 
struggle  which  ended  in  the  expulsion  of  the  Dutch 
from  Formosa  in  1 66 1 , after  a nearly  twelve  months’ 
siege.  Koksinga,  who  drove  the  doughty  Hollanders 
from  this  beautiful  island,  must  have  been  a bold 
adventurer.  He  was  indeed  a sort  of  Chinese  sea- 
king,  levying  black  mail  from  all  the  surrounding 
islands.  China  now-a-days  needs  just  such  an  admiral 
to  command  her  new  steam  fleet.  With  resources  so 
great  at  his  command,  he  would  teach  the  ambitious 
inhabitants  of  the  small  kingdom  of  Japan  that  their 
safest  policy  is  to  keep  their  troops  at  home.  As  the 
case  now  stands  we  see  2,000  Japanese  soldiers  actually 
landed  at  Lang-kiau  in  southern  Formosa,  while  the  au- 
thorities of  China  are  looking  on  from  the  mainland,  in  a 
sort  of  dreamy  amazement  at  the  audacity  of  the  enter- 
prise. But  when  I took  my  rambles  through  the  sylvan 
lanes  of  Tai-wan-fu,  no  feature  so  much  struck  me  as 
their  perfect  repose ; not  a sign  or  a sound  recalled  the 
fearful  conflicts  which  they  too  often  witnessed.  The 
languid  air  was  filled  with  no  noise  more  warlike  than 
the  hum  of  insects,  the  creak  of  produce-laden  carts  on 
their  way  to  market,  or  the  merry  prattle  of  children 
at  play.  Alas  ! the  quiet  glades  of  Formosa  may  soon 
be  stirred  once  more  with  the  din  of  a vital  struggle 
for  supremacy,  between  two  races  who  for  the  first  time 
will  confront  each  other  with  modern  weapons  in  their 
hands.  The  conflict,  if  it  ever  takes  place,  will  with- 


TAI-  IVAN-FU  HOSPITAL. 


31 1 


out  doubt  be  protracted  and  severe  ; and  its  issue  may- 
lead  to  important  results  in  opening  up  the  vast  conti- 
nent of  China ; or  perhaps  the  Chinese,  in  the  flush  of 
victory,  may  be  hurried  into  a final  attempt  to  close 
their  country  for  ever  against  the  hated  intrusion  of 
foreigners.  The  latter,  however,  is  not  a probable 
contingency,  for  China  will  find  that  her  only  safety- 
lies  in  keeping  herself  always  fit  to  cope  on  terms  of 
advantage  with  her  restless  Japanese  rivals. 

I cannot  leave  Tai-wan-fu  without  noticing  the 
medical  mission  over  which  my  friend  Dr.  Maxwell 
presides,  and  expressing  my  regret  that  hospitals  of 
the  same  kind  are  not  more  numerous  in  other  quarters 
of  China.  One  who  lives  at  home  in  an  English  city 
— where  the  poor  are  always  with  us,  but  where  they 
are  tended  and  cared  for  in  an  infinite  variety  of  ways, 
quite  unknown  to  the  ancient  civilisation  of  the  ‘ Flowery- 
Land  ’ — cannot  picture  the  train  of  miserable  diseased 
wretches  who  daily  drag  their  way  to  the  Mission 
hospital.  Many  who  have  heard  of  the  fame  of  the 
good  foreign  medicine-man,  accomplish  long  weary 
pilgrimages ; almost  believing,  poor  souls,  like  the 
woman  of  old,  that  they'  have  but  to  touch  the  hem  of 
the  phy-sician’s  garment,  to  be  cured  of  diseases  that 
have  made  their  lives,  for  years,  one  prolonged  cry  of 
pain.  Sometimes  the  maladies  are  simple  in  them- 
selves, though  beyond  the  power  of  native  skill,  and  a 
single  probe  of  the  lancet  will  send  such  a heaven  of 
relief,  as  almost  to  tempt  the  poor  sufferer  to  fall  down 
and  worship  his  deliverer.  The  scenes  I myself 
witnessed  in  a single  day  at  that  hospital  made  me  feel 
perfectly  appalled  when  I reflected  on  the  groans  of 
unalleviated  pain  which  must  constantly'  rise  from  the 


312 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


poverty-stricken  millions  who  swarm  over  the  plains  of 
China.  Here,  in  this  small  sanctuary,  it  is  but  the 
faint  echo  of  the  great  unheeded  wail  which  we  hear 
rising  from  the  breasts  of  sufferers  that  find  relief  at 
last.  Much  of  the  sickness  common  in  this  quarter  is 
due,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  poverty,  insufficient  or 
unwholesome  food,  and  to  neglect.  The  medical 
missionary  thus  enjoys  many  opportunities  for  spreading 
a knowledge  of  Christianity,  for  gaining  converts,  and 
for  doing  good  in  a variety  of  ways — which,  let  me 
assure  my  reader,  are  seldom  left  untried.  In  a place 
like  this  the  life  of  such  a man  is  no  enviable  one,  and 
the  only  pleasure  he  can  enjoy  must  come  of  the  con- 
sciousness of  doing  good  work.  His  is  a lifetime 
devoted  to  self-sacrifice  and  systematic  toil.  Day  after 
day  crowds  of  fresh  patients  flock  to  the  hospital, 
and  their  cases  are  treated  in  rotation,  leaving  little 
leisure  to  the  missionary  save  what  is  stolen  from  meal- 
times, or  from  the  hours  of  rest  by  night. 

Dr.  Maxwell  and  I determined  to  make  an  excur- 
sion into  the  interior,  and  to  visit  the  outlying  mission- 
stations,  where  my  friend  hoped,  if  possible,  to  open 
new  ground  among  the  mountain  savages.  Accordingly 
on  Monday,  April  n,  we  left  Tai-wan-fu  for  the  village 
of  Poah-be,  and  were  carried  in  native  sedans  ten  miles 
across  the  plain.  I hired  a number  of  coolies  to  convey 
my  instruments,  as  I had  determined  to  photograph 
the  objects  of  interest  which  we  might  fall  in  with  en 
route.  The  plain,  a highly  cultivated  one,  was  dotted 
with  Chinese  farms,  and  with  hamlets  overshadowed 
by  groves  of  bamboo.  The  chief  products  here  were 
rice,  sweet  potatoes,  earth-nuts,  and  sugar-cane.  Many 
of  the  women  were  out  at  work  in  the  fields  ; most  of 


CROSSING  THE  PLAIN 


3i3 


them  had  the  compressed  feet  so  much  in  vogue  among 
the  females  of  the  Fukien  province,  and  hence  they 
seemed  to  limp  about  uneasily  over  the  furrows.  They 
generally  wore  pretty  dresses  of  white  calico,  edged 
with  pale  blue.  As  for  the  men,  they  were  bronzed 
and  fat ; and  they  wore  a lazy,  loutish  appearance, 
seemingly  leaving  the  women  to  do  the  bulk  of  the 
field-work.  There  were  children  to  be  seen  too,  but 
their  attire  consisted  simply  of  a small  charm  hung  on 
a string  around  the  neck.  As  at  Tai-wan-fu,  we  passed 
along  some  beautiful  sylvan  lanes,  shaded  by  areca- 
palms  and  bamboos,  and  leading  to  settlements  which 
were  truly  enchanting  when  viewed  from  a distance, 
but  less  attractive,  and  thoroughly  Chinese,  on  a closer 
inspection.  The  near  approach  to  one  of  these  hamlets 
was  always  known  by  the  conflicting  odours  of  garlic 
and  manure,  mingled  with  the  fragrance  of  some  sweet- 
smelling flowers,  of  which  the  Chinese  are  very  fond, 
and  which  quite  overpower  the  soft  perfume  of  the 
white  wild-rose  that  grows  in  profusion  in  the  hedges. 
In  the  wild  flowers  which  bloom  hereabouts  we 
discover  the  delicate  hues  of  our  more  temperate  climes 
blending  charmingly  with  the  vivid  primary  colours  of 
the  tropical  flora.  It  was  pleasant,  too,  to  listen  to  the 
songs  of  the  field-lark,  a bird  common  to  certain  dis- 
tricts of  the  mainland  both  in  the  north  and  south  of 
China ; and,  so  far  as  I can  recollect,  to  some  parts  of 
Siam. 

Halting  at  the  first  range  of  hills,  we  send  back  the 
chairs,  and  await  the  arrival  of  my  boy  Ahong  and  the 
coolies,  who  were  far  in  the  rear.  Ahong,  unaccus- 
tomed to  walking,  was  already  foot-sore.  Against  my 
advice  he  had  put  on  straw  sandals,  and  so  blistered 


314 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  soles  of  his  feet  that  the  remaining  eight  miles  of 
our  journey  tried  him  severely.  The  heat  was  intense. 
Even  now  I feel  hot,  uncomfortable,  and  inclined  to 
cast  off  my  coat,  when  I think  of  it.  The  road,  if  our 
route  could  be  dignified  by  such  a name,  was  a broken 
track,  over  dry  hills,  constantly  interrupted  by  blocks 
of  hard  clay,  and  by  pitfalls  six  or  eight  feet  deep.  But 
these  were  trifles  to  what  lay  before  us.  Slowly  we 
progressed,  now  wending  our  tortuous  way  along  the 
verge  of  a clay  chasm  more  than  200  feet  deep,  now 
diving  down  into  the  recesses  of  a huge  clay-pit,  where 
the  flat  surface  was  so  heated  with  the  sun  that  it 
almost  blistered  the  hands  when  we  touched  its  bare 
walls.  The  soil  became  the  more  broken  the  further 
we  progressed  inland  ; the  pits,  too,  grew  wider  and 
deeper.  At  the  bottom  of  some  of  these  we  actually 
found  cultivated  fields,  and  traces  of  the  mountain 
torrents  that  force  a subterraneous  passage,  during  the 
wet  season,  through  the  soft  clay  formation  beneath, 
and  thus  effect  the  drainage  of  the  central  range  of 
mountains,  while  at  the  same  time  they  render  farming 
in  this  hill  region  an  enterprise  full  of  peril.  For  the 
squatter  tills  treacherous  ground,  and  is  liable  to  find 
his  fields  and  his  dwelling  swept  away  by  the  sudden 
subsidence  of  the  soil.  But  the  Hak-kas,  who  cultivate 
this  shifting  clay,  are  prepared  for  such  emergencies, 
and  are  quite  accustomed  to  a hasty  change  of  abode, 
cheerfully  resuming  their  agricultural  labours  wherever 
they  may  happen  to  settle.  At  times,  indeed,  the 
sudden  disappearance  of  their  whole  property  may  lead 
to  very  desirable  results.  They  emigrate,  perhaps,  to 
a healthier  or  more  settled  neighbourhood,  or  else  to 
one  where  the  trees  and  debris  brought  down  by  the 


A PEPOHOA N SETTLEMENT. 


3T5 


torrents  will  furnish  them  with  fuel  during  the  winter 
months.  All  this  will,  no  doubt,  seem  strange  to  those 
who  have  only  heard  of  houses  being  removed  from 
one  quarter  of  a town  to  another  by  means  of  powerful 
hydraulic  engines.  But  I venture  to  suggest  that  what 
happens  in  Formosa  is  an  illustration  of  hydraulic 
power  on  a much  more  extended  scale.  I need  hardly 
say  that  the  Imperial  Government  has  not  seen  fit  to 
send  a geographer  to  lay  down  a map  of  this  ever- 
changing  region ; and  it  will  be  a matter  of  difficulty,  I 
should  think,  for  the  farmer,  at  the  end  of  each  wet 
season,  to  find  out  exactly  where  he  and  his  neighbours 
have  settled.  Poah-be  was  reached  by  about  4 p.m. 
This  place  is  the  first  settlement  of  a tribe  of  aborigines 
whom  the  Chinese  call  * Pepohoan,’  or  ‘ foreigners  of  the 
plain.’  These  people  have  a lively  and  warm  recollec- 
tion of  their  Dutch  masters.  They  still  cherish  traditions 
of  their  kind-hearted  red-haired  brothers,  and  for  this 
reason  they  receive  foreigners  with  a cordial  welcome. 
Once,  in  the  times  of  the  Dutch,  they  lived  down  in 
those  fertile  plains  which  we  had  just  been  crossing  ; 
but  they  have  long  ago  been  driven  back  out  of  the 
richer  land  of  their  forefathers,  by  the  advance  of  the 
ruthless  Chinese.  Higher  up,  in  the  mountain  fast- 
nesses, their  hardy  kinsmen  have  held  their  own,  de- 
fying all  the  forces  of  the  Imperial  conqueror. 

Let  the  Japanese  make  friends  of  those  wild 
mountaineers,  and  the  Chinese  will  find  it  a hard  task 
to  drive  the  intruders  from  the  island.  The  natives 
came  out  in  great  numbers  to  meet  and  welcome  Dr. 
Maxwell,  whom  they  had  not  seen  for  a considerable 
time.  They  were  a fine,  simple-looking  race,  and  had 
a frank  sincerity  of  manner  which  was  refreshing  after 


316  INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

a long  experience  of  the  cunning  Chinese.  These 
Pepohoans  had  acquired  the  Chinese  arts  of  husbandry 
and  house-building.  Their  buildings  were  even  supe- 
rior to  those  of  the  Chinese  squatters,  and  the  people 
themselves  were  better  dressed.  It  struck  me,  as  I 
have  noticed  elsewhere,  that  they  resembled  the 
Laotians  of  Siam  both  in  features  and  costume,  while 
their  old  language  bore  undoubted  traces  of  Malayan 
origin.  ( See  Appendix.) 

There  was  a small  Christian  chapel  at  Poah-be,1 
built  and  supported  by  the  natives  themselves,  the 
mission  having  only  to  pay  the  salary  of  a native 
helper.  I visited  several  of  the  houses,  and  found 
them  clean,  well  arranged,  and  comfortable.  Their 
mode  of  construction  is  as  follows  : — A bamboo  frame- 
work is  first  set  up  ; this  is  then  covered  with  a lathing, 
or  rather  wattle-work,  of  reeds  or  split  bamboo,  and 
the  whole  is  afterwards  plastered  over  with  the  clay 
that  abounds  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  finished  when 
dry  with  an  outer  coating  of  the  white  lime  made  out 
of  the  limestone  rock  which  is  plentiful  in  these  hills. 
The  dwellings  usually  form  three  sides  of  a square ; 
but  I will  describe  the  interior  accommodation  in  more 
detail  further  on  in  my  narrative.  Only  two  articles 
in  any  of  the  Pepohoan  settlements  bore  tokens  of 
ingenuity  and  mechanical  skill ; these  were  the  butts 
of  their  matchlocks  and  a native  rat-trap,  which  was 
very  curious  indeed.  The  rat  is  esteemed  a great 
luxury  among  the  mountaineers — so  great  that  the 
invention  of  this  trap  must  have  been  a most  important 

1 One  of  over  a dozen  mission-stations  established  by  the  Missionaries 
connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  England.  There  are  about 
3,000  natives  constant  attendants  at  the  chapels. 


BAKSA. 


3i7 


event  in  the  history  of  their  race  ; but  the  mechanical 
genius  who  discovered  it  seems  to  have  accomplished 
nothing  greater  for  the  civilisation  of  his  countrymen  ; 
resting  for  ever,  after  this  crowning  achievement  of 
his  skill,  a contented  rat-eating  Pepohoan. 

Friday , April  11. — We  left  Poah-be  at  7 a.m.  to- 
day to  walk  to  Baksa,  twelve  miles  off.  It  was  a 
beautiful  morning,  and  the  scenery  became  gradually 
so  interesting  as  to  warrant  the  belief  that  we  had  now 
got  clear  of  the  broken  shifting  lands  through  which 
our  yesterday’s  journey  had  extended.  By  about  ten 
o’clock  the  heat  became  intense,  and  Ahong  was  fairly 
knocked  up.  We  had  to  reduce  our  pace,  too,  on 
account  of  his  sorely  blistered  feet,  so  that  it  was  twelve 
o’clock  before  we  reached  Baksa  valley.  Here,  again, 
the  people  rushed  out  to  welcome  us.  Troops  of 
pretty  little  children  came  trotting  along  the  road, 
shouting  ‘ Peng-gan,’  ‘ Peace  be  with  you,’  while  many  a 
horny  hand  was  stretched  out  from  its  toil  to  grasp  the 
doctor’s  as  we  entered  the  village,  or  rather  as  we 
passed  through  the  lanes,  and  beneath  the  palms  that 
shaded  the  scattered  dwellings  in  this  Pepohoan  para- 
dise. I could  now  understand  what  the  Portuguese 
meant  when  they  named  the  island  Formosa  ; and  yet 
what  we  saw  here  was  but  the  first  foreshadowing  of 
the  wilder  grandeur  of  the  mountain  scenery  inland. 
A crescent  of  limestone  hills  sweeps  round  Baksa 
valley,  presenting  in  many  places  a bare  rocky  front  in 
striking  contrast  to  the  foliage  which  luxuriates  else- 
where. Perhaps  the  bamboos  were  the  most  remark- 
able feature  in  the  scene,  for  these  plants  here  attain 
exceptional  proportions,  and  are  some  of  them  more 
than  100  feet  high.  In  the  history  of  Tai-wan  it  is 


3i8  INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

stated  that  there  are  ‘ thirteen  varieties  of  Bamboos  ’ 1 
(a  species  of  grass)  known  in  Formosa,  one  being 
reported  to  attain  to  the  enormous  girth  of  two  feet. 
I will  here  give  a brief  account  of  the  many  uses  to 
which  the  bamboo  is  applied — a plant  which  figures  ex- 
tensively in  the  social  economy  of  the  people  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  China.  Were  every  other 
means  of  support  withdrawn,  except  rice  and  bamboo, 
these  two  plants  would,  I believe,  supply  the  neces- 
saries for  clothing,  habitation,  and  food  ; indeed,  the 
bamboo  alone,  as  I propose  to  show,  would  bear  the 
lion’s  share  of  the  burden.  No  tending  is  needed  for 
this  hardy-natured  plant,  nor  is  it  dainty  in  the  choice 
of  its  locality  ; and,  although  it  probably  reaches  its 
highest  state  of  perfection  in  the  rich  valleys  of  Formosa, 
yet  it  grows  with  nearly  equal  vigour  on  the  thin  soil 
of  rocky  hill-sides.  It  is  first  used  to  hedge  the 
dwelling  around  with  an  almost  impenetrable  barrier 
of  prickly  stems,  and  to  cast  a cool  shade  over  the 
abodes  with  its  lofty  paJe-green  plumes.  The  houses 
themselves  may  be  constructed  entirely  of  its  stems,  and 
thatched  with  its  dried  leaves.  Within,  the  couches  and 
chairs  are  made  of  bamboo,  and  so  is  the  table,  except  its 
deal  top  ; so,  too,  are  the  water-cans,  the  drinking-jugs, 
and  the  rice-measures.  Hanging  from  the  roof  are  a 
number  of  prickly  bamboo  stems  supporting  dried  pork, 
and  such  like  provisions,  and  warding  off  rats  with 
their  chevaux  de  frise.  In  one  corner  we  may  see  the 
proprietor’s  waterproof  coat  and  hat,  each  made  out  of 
leaves  of  the  plant,  which  overlap  like  the  plumage  of 
a bird.  The  agricultural  implements  are  many  of  them 
made  of  hard  bamboo  stems ; and,  indeed,  the  fishing- 

1 Chinese  Notes  and  Queries,  ii.  135. 


BAMBOO. 


319 

net,  the  baskets  of  divers  shapes,  the  paper  and  the 
pens  (never  absent  from  the  humblest  Chinese  abodes), 
the  wine-cups,  the  water-ladles,  the  chop-sticks,  and, 
finally,  the  tobacco-pipes,  are  all  of  bamboo.  1 he  man 
who  dwells  there  is  feasting  on  the  tender  shoots  of 
the  plant ; and  if  you  ask  him  he  will  tell  you  that  his 
earliest  impressions  came  to  him  through  the  basket- 
work  of  his  bamboo  cradle,  and  that  his  latest  hope 
will  be  to  lie  beneath  some  bamboo  brake,  on  a cool 
hill-side.  The  plant  is  also  extensively  used  in  the 
sacred  offices  of  the  Buddhist  temples.  The  most 
ancient  Buddhist  classics  were  cut  on  strips  of  bamboo  ; 
the  divination-sticks,  and  the  case  which  contains  them, 
are  manufactured  out  of  its  stem;  while  the  courts  out- 
side the  temple  are  fanned  and  sheltered  by  its  nod- 
ding plumes.  There  are  a variety  of  different  sorts  of 
paper  made  from  the  bamboo,  but  the  kind  which 
struck  me  as  showing  a new  property  in  the  fibre  of 
the  plant  was  that  commonly  used  by  the  Fukien  gold- 
beaters in  the  production  of  gold-leaf,  and  thus  occupy- 
ing the  place  of  the  parchment  employed  for  the  same 
purpose  in  Europe.  Fans  and  flutes  are  also  made 
of  bamboo  ; and  even  the  looms  on  which  the  Chinese 
weave  their  silken  fabrics  are  chiefly  made  out  of  the 
plant.  Indeed,  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  its  value  to 
the  Chinese.  This  much,  however,  I may  unhesita- 
tingly affirm,  that  so  multifarious  are  the  duties  which 
the  bamboo  is  made  to  discharge,  and  so  wide-spread 
are  the  benefits  which  it  confers  upon  the  Chinese,  as 
to  render  it  above  all  others  the  most  useful  plant  in 
the  Empire. 

We  spent  the  night  at  the  Baksa  mission-station, 
and  left  early  next  morning  to  walk  to  Ka-san-po,  a 

24 


320 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


distance  of  twenty-six  miles.  The  first  hill  we  got  to 
after  quitting  Baksa  gave  us  some  faint  notion  of  the 
journey  now  before  us.  We  had  to  climb  a steep 
ridge,  where  the  soil  had  been  completely  broken  away 
on  either  side  ; and  thus,  along  the  sharp  edge  of  a 
wedge,  we  made  our  way  upwards  to  the  summit  of 
the  hill.  It  was  with  no  feelings  of  ease  that  I kept 
looking  back  upon  our  baggage-bearers  (six  strong 
Pepohoans  from  Baksa),  who,  had  they  slipped  their 
footing,  would  have  been  precipitated  several  hundred 
feet  on  whatever  side  they  chanced  to  fall.  At  last 
we  reached  the  summit  safely,  and  were  rewarded  with 
a view  of  a splendid  valley  surrounded  by  a circle  of 
hills,  while  the  central  mountain  ranges  of  the  island 
could  be  descried  towering  heavenwards  in  the  distance 
beyond.  The  little  settlement  of  Kamana  could  just 
be  made  out  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  a long 
glen.  Resting  for  a short  time  in  a Pepohoan  hut, 
where  the  people  were  glad  to  see  us,  and  where  we 
had  a refreshing  draught  of  spring-water,  we  then 
pushed  on  to  Kamana,  and  were  there  met  by  a 
sturdy  old  native  helper  named  Tong,  a man  of  good 
Chinese  education,  who  had  formerly  held  a post  in 
a yamen.  He  was  a fine-looking  fellow,  and  had  suf- 
fered a good  deal  of  persecution  for  having  embraced 
the  Christian  faith.  At  about  one  o’clock,  under  the 
guidance  of  Tong,  we  left  this  station,  and  commenced 
another  toilsome  ascent  beneath  a blazing  sun,  and  with- 
out a breath  of  wind  to  temper  the  intense  heat.  At 
length,  after  surmounting  the  first  range,  we  fell  in  with 
a buffalo  herd,  and  found  an  old  man  living  in  a rude 
shed  in  the  centre  of  a parched  wilderness.  He  received 
us  kindly,  and  gladly  shared  with  us  his  supply  of  water, 


A HARD  CLIMB. 


321 


which  he  held  in  a bamboo  tube.  Our  arrival  evidently 
afforded  him  great  pleasure,  and  he  was  anxious  we 
should  remain  for  a smoke  and  a chat.  Off  again  to 
climb  another  hill,  or  rather  to  scramble  up  deep  fissures 
in  one,  over  a broken  stratum  of  clay  and  slate,  exhal- 
ing a noxious  smell,  and  reflecting  the  hot  sun  to  such 
a degree  that  I felt  extremely  faint,  and  nearly  gave  in 
before  we  had  scaled  the  height.  The  Doctor  con- 
fessed that  he  had  never  experienced  any  fatigue  like 
this,  in  all  his  previous  travels.  Once  on  the  top,  we 
flung  ourselves  down  beneath  the  scant  shade  of  some 
shrubs  in  a rocky  clift,  at  the  same  time  dislodging 
from  the  roots  and  stones  numerous  tribes  of  centi- 
pedes, each  about  as  long  as  one’s  finger,  and  of  a rich 
chocolate  colour,  with  bright  yellow  feet.  These  centi- 
pedes inflict  a fearful  sting,  but  we  were  too  much  ex- 
hausted to  get  out  of  their  way,  and  fortunately  they 
got  out  of  ours.  More  than  once  I thought  I could 
feel  these  creatures  making  their  way  up  my  back,  but 
it  turned  out  to  be  nothing  more  than  a cold  stream  of 
perspiration  trickling  down.  A steep  descent  on  the 
other  side  of  this  ridge  brought  us  to  our  next  halting- 
place,  where  a brook  was  reported  to  exist.  A 
channel  indeed  was  there,  but  the  waters  had  dried  up 
long  ago.  Here,  while  at  breakfast,  our  crowning 
trouble  overtook  us.  One  of  the  bearers  incautiously 
broke  off  the  green  stem  of  a plant,  which,  in  return 
for  the  outrage,  sent  forth  a perfectly  putrid  odour.  It 
was  some  time  before  we  discovered  the  cause  of  the 
nuisance,  for  the  Pepohoan  nose  seemed  to  account  it 
a luxury  rather  than  otherwise.  This  plant  was 
known  to  them  as  the  ‘ foul  dirt  ’ shrub,  and  is  one 
which  the  Chinese  ought  dearly  to  prize,  for  its  very 


322 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


breath  might  be  sufficient  to  manure  a whole  region. 
As  the  reader  may  imagine,  we  made  no  long  stay  in 
this  spot  ; but  resuming  our  journey,  marched  on  up 
and  down  great  pits  similar  to  those  encountered  in 
our  first  day’s  travel,  and  containing  some  of  them 
great  boulders  rounded,  probably,  and  left  in  position, 
at  the  bottom  of  the  pits,  by  the  denudations  of  the 
mountain  torrents. 

We  were  now  on  one  of  the  spurs  that  lie  at  the 
foot  of  the  central  range,  and  could  enjoy  a splendid 
view  of  a valley  that  stretched  out  in  front  of  us,  half 
cultivated  and  half  in  its  pristine  grandeur,  while  the 
mountain  sierras  rose  up  pile  behind  pile,  Mount 
Morisson  lifting  its  deep  blue  peak  on  high  above 
them  all.  A river  flowed  far  down  beneath  our  feet, 
and  we  could  hear  the  distant  boom  of  its  waters,  as 
they  rushed  onward  through  dark  ravines  and  over  a 
rocky  mountain  bed.  This  river  was  now  at  its 
smallest,  but  was  still  a broad  stream,  and  was  spanned 
by  a number  of  bamboo  bridges,  if  such  these  rude 
structures  might  be  called.  Far  away,  at  the  northern 
end  of  the  valley,  the  village  of  Pau-ah-liau  could  be 
descried  peeping  out  amid  a mass  of  foliage  ; and  high 
above  this  settlement  rose  mountains  wrapped  in  the 
gloom  of  primeval  forests,  the  haunts  of  wild  beasts 
and  savage  men.  These  mountain  tribes  just  referred 
to  exact  a heavy  black  mail  from  their  more  civilised 
kinsmen  in  the  valleys  below  ; and  not  content  with 
this,  they  will  at  times  swoop  down  in  troops  of  sixty 
or  seventy  to  waylay  travelling  parties,  whom  they 
plunder  and  put  to  death,  or  else  to  make  a raid  on 
some  village  in  their  vicinity. 

We  had  now  reached  the  banks  of  the  stream,  and 


BAMBOO  BRIDGES. 


323 


had  to  cross  it  to  gain  the  village ; but  the  bridge  here, 
which  possessed  the  great  merit — from  an  engineering 
point  of  view — of  extreme  simplicity,  was  about  the 
most  crazy,  break-neck  contrivance  it  has  ever  been 
my  lot  to  see.  The  whole  structure  consisted  of  one 
or  two  poles  of  bamboo,  stretched  from  bank  to  bank 
some  twelve  feet  above  the  river,  which  was  here  quite 
deep  enough  to  drown  even  the  giant  Chang.  These 
poles  rested  on  stone  piers,  jutting  out  beyond  the 
banks,  and  made  out  of  the  boulders  near  at  hand. 
To  me  this  bridge  seemed  the  very  thing  for  a reckless 
man  who  might  wish  to  tempt  Providence,  and  yet 
just  escape  a watery  grave.  But  the  natives  walked 
easily  over  it  Blondin  fashion,  using  their  burdens  to 
sustain  their  equilibrium  ; and  so  there  was  nothing 
for  it  but  to  cross,  if  we  would  reach  our  journey’s  end. 
The  Doctor,  who  had  seen  these  pieces  of  architecture 
before,  managed  with  comparative  ease  : as  for  me,  we 
had  been  walking  in  straw  sandals,  so  I damped  mine 
to  make  them  more  elastic,  and  then,  throwing  out  my 
arms  and  squaring  my  feet,  crossed  like  an  acrobat, 
looking  back  with  no  small  satisfaction  when  I had 
overcome  the  difficulty,  and  was  safely  landed  on  the 
other  side.  These  elegant  structures  are  the  common 
property  of  the  natives,  and  suffice  for  the  purposes  of 
trade  and  intercommunication  in  this  benighted  region. 
They  are  understood  to  be  rebuilt,  or  kept  in  repair,  by 
the  man  who  happens  to  break  them,  should  he  survive 
the  accident,  or  by  the  next  comer  should  he  not. 
Providence  has  supplied  a bountiful  stock  of  raw 
material  for  their  construction  in  the  surrounding  vale, 
and  along  the  river’s  bank.  There  we  may  see  the 
boulders  for  new  piers,  and  ratans  growing  in  the 


324 


JNDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


thickets,  wherewith,  if  need  be,  to  bind  the  cross-poles 
to  the  piers  ; and  there  are  bamboos  everywhere. 

About  half  a mile  from  Pau-ah-liau  we  passed 
beneath  the  spreading  branches  of  the  ‘ Png-chieu  ’ 
tree,  as  the  natives  term  it,  whose  roots  spread  along 
the  ground  in  curious  writhings  and  contortions,  now 
forming  an  inviting  chair,  now  a couch  on  which  one 
might  pass  the  hot  nights  with  comfort ; or  elsewhere 
a small  shrine  connected  with  the  fetishism  of  the 
village.  These  spirit-shrines  were  encountered  at  the 
roots  of  many  of  the  finest  trees,  and  consisted  com- 
monly of  one  basement  stone,  and  four  other  slabs 
together  forming  three  sides,  and  a roof.  Within,  in 
the  centre,  was  a tiny  stone  altar,  on  which  the  offer- 
ings reposed.  The  trunk  of  this  ‘ Png-chieu  ’ tree  was 
six  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  spread  of  its  branches  was 
ample  enough  to  shade  the  inhabitants  of  the  adjoin- 
ing village.  The  news  of  our  arrival  had  somehow 
preceded  us,  as  it  invariably  did,  but  how  we  could 
never  tell  ; and  mysterious  figures  were  seen  darting 
out  from  the  hedgerows  and  thickets  to  have  a look  at 
the  ‘ red  haired  men,’  as  foreigners  are  politely  termed. 

Our  path  was  along  a pleasant  shady  road,  on  the 
margin  of  a stream  that  had  been  made  use  of  for  irri- 
gation. On  our  left  hand  was  a hedge  adorned  with 
numerous  wild  flowers — fuschias,  roses,  guavas,  wild 
mint  and  convolvulus — besides  a profusion  of  wild  rasp- 
berry-bushes  that  had  lately  been  laden  with  fruit  as 
sweet  as  our  own  English  raspberries,  if  we  may  judge 
from  what  little  still  remained.  Again  we  had  to  cross 
a bamboo  bridge,  and  thence  to  follow  a foot- road  by 
the  edge  of  the  rice-fields,  where  the  young  blades  rose 
in  vivid  green  above  the  water,  just  high  enough  to 


1'EPOHOANS. 


325 


obscure  the  reflection  of  the  mountains  on  its  glassy 
surface.  We  now  entered  the  village  of  Pau-ah-liau, 
and  made  straight  for  the  house  of  an  aged  blind 
Pepohoan  named  Sin-chun.  We  were  followed  into 
his  enclosure  by  troops  of  savage-looking  women  and 
children ; the  latter  some  of  them  ten  years  old,  and 
without  a rag  to  hide  their  youthful  proportions.  A 
number  of  the  villagers  had  a warm  recollection  of  a 
visit  from  the  Doctor  eighteen  months  before,  and  ol 
how  he  had  kindly  ministered  to  their  wants.  Care- 
fully did  they  examine  our  baggage  and  clothes,  and 
finally  awarded  the  palm  of  beauty  to  my  checked 
flannel  shirt.  Here  the  men,  women,  and  children 
were  all  provided  with  bamboo  tobacco-pipes,  of  which 
they  made  a vigorous  and  unceasing  use.  I had  not 
long  to  wait  before  a haggard  old  dame  came  up  to 
where  I stood,  and  offered  me  her  pipe  for  a smoke. 
When  I accepted  the  courtesy,  she  went  on  to  ask  for 
my  cigar,  from  which  she  took  one  or  two  hearty  pulls, 
and  then  her  face  disappeared  in  a compound  series  of 
wrinkles,  denoting  delight  at  the  unusual  piquancy 
of  the  weed.  After  this  the  cigar  was  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth  through  the  crowd,  and  carefully 
returned  to  me  when  they  had  all  had  a pull.  The 
villagers  were  most  of  them  tall  and  well  formed,  with 
large  brown  eyes  kindling  at  times  with  a savage  lustre 
that  told  of  a free  untamed  spirit,  born  amid  the  wild 
grandeur  and  solitude  of  these  mountain  lands.  And 
yet  the  race,  from  all  accounts,  is  a gentle  and  in- 
offensive one,  in  spite  of  a sort  of  haughty  savage 
swagger  not  wanting  in  dignity  and  grace. 

The  women  wear  a profusion  of  dark  brown  or 
black  hair,  combed  straight  back  from  the  forehead, 


326 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  caught  up  and  folded  in  behind  the  head.  Then 
the  long  tresses  are  twisted  into  a sort  of  cable,  into 
which  a strip  of  red  cloth  is  entwined,  and  the  whole 
is  then  brought  over  the  left  ear,  passed  like  a diadem 
across  the  brows,  and  firmly  fixed  up  at  the  back  of  the 
head.  The  effect  of  this  simple  head-dress  is  very 
striking,  and  contrasts  well  with  the  rich  olive  skin  of 
its  wearer. 

The  Chinese  say  the  women  are  extremely  bar- 
barous, because  even  the  finest  of  them  never  paint. 
Time  appears  to  deal  hardly  with  them  as  they  advance 
in  years  ; toil  and  exposure  rob  them  quickly  of  the 
attractions  of  their  youth  ; but  yet  their  hair  is  dressed 
neatly  and  carefully  to  the  last,  and  they  fight  a stub- 
born battle  against  the  encroaching  hands  of  fate. 
The  oldest  crone  in  the  lot  would  scorn  to  shield  her 
weakness  and  infirmities  from  the  enemy  behind  the 
earthworks  of  paint  and  powder,  false  fronts,  or  dye. 
The  bronzed  and  furrowed  cheek,  and  the  grey  locks 
of  age,  meet  everywhere  with  respect,  and  would  even 
command  a safe  passport  through  the  territory  of  a 
hostile  tribe. 

The  men  now  came  trooping  home  in  greater  num- 
bers from  the  fields ; tall,  erect  fellows,  wearing  an  air 
of  perfect  good-will,  frankness,  and  honesty.  In  spite, 
of  their  horny  hands  and  poor  clothing,  there  was  a 
manly  nobility  in  their  demeanour,  and  a perfect 
gentleness,  a heartiness,  and  a simple  hospitality,  which 
it  was  truly  touching  to  observe. 

In  these  respects  there  was  a marked  difference 
between  the  different  villages.  Thus  where  the  Pepo- 
hoans  had  come  into  closer  contact  with  the  Chinese, 
they  were  better  dressed  but  less  friendly  than  in  those 


DINNER  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES. 


327 


villages  where  we  encountered  the  aborigines  alone. 
Sin-chun  invited  us  into  his  cabin,  and  there  I lay  down 
on  a mat  to  rest,  and  soon  fell  fast  asleep.  I awoke 
again  with  a start,  as  a gust  of  fetid  air  passed  across 
the  apartment.  These  natives,  I must  tell  you,  have  a 
way  of  salting  their  turnips,  and  placing  them  in  a jar 
of  water,  where  they  are  kept  till  they  decompose, 
after  which  they  eat  them  as  a relish  to  their  rice. 
The  truth  was  dinner  was  ready,  and  young  Sin  opened 
this  domestic  treasure,  so  that  I got  a full  blast  of  the 
imprisoned  gas  as  it  escaped  from  the  jar — a blast  which 
sent  me  flying  to  my  feet,  and  out  to  the  open  air  to 
make  my  dinner  there.  As  for  the  Doctor,  he  finished 
his  repast  within,  while  I enjoyed  a hearty  meal  off  a 
bowl  of  rice,  two  hard-boiled  eggs,  and  a piece  of  fowl. 
While  travelling  I made  it  my  rule,  as  far  as  possible, 
to  live  on  the  food  that  could  be  purchased  most  readily 
on  the  spot.  When  dinner  was  concluded  Dr.  Max- 
well as  usual  commenced  to  attend  to  his  patients  ; and 
a very  numerous,  though  pretty  healthy-looking,  train 
they  were.  Some  had  fever ; other  cases  were  more 
or  less  grave ; while  not  a few  discovered  pains  and 
aches  in  different  parts  of  the  body  which  required  to 
be  treated  with  iodine.  A feather  was  needed  therefore 
to  make  a brush,  and  a fowl  had  accordingly  to  be 
secured.  But  fowls  are  more  difficult  to  lay  hold  of 
than  one  would  have  supposed,  and  half  the  village 
was  engaged  in  chasing  first  one  fowl  and  then  another 
before  one  could  be  caught  and  robbed  of  a plume. 
A few  minutes  afterwards  a dozen  bare  legs,  arms,  and 
backs,  had  been  painted  and  exposed  to  dry.  Quinine 
also  was  eagerly  sought  for  and  distributed. 

It  was  now  3 p.m.,  and  we  were  still  six  miles  from 


328 


1ND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Kasanpo.  Pursuing  our  way  by  the  river-side,  we 
arrived  at  that  village  by  five  o’clock,  and  proceeded  to 
the  house  of  one  Ah-toan,  an  old  man  with  whom  the 
doctor  was  acquainted.  Ah-toan  was  not  at  home  ; 
but  he  soon  appeared,  driving  his  cattle  before  him  into 
the  pen.  He,  too,  was  very  pleased  to  see  us,  and 
quickly  made  an  apartment  ready,  in  which  we  de- 
posited our  things.  On  the  verandah  behind  his 
dwelling  a narrow  space  had  been  screened  off  for 
bathing,  and  of  this  convenience  we  at  once  took 
advantage.  Our  arrival  was  the  signal  for  the  villagers 
to  crowd  in  and  have  a look  at  us ; but  I could  not 
make  out  why  the  male  portion  of  the  community 
appeared  to  treat  our  visit  as  a highly  humorous  inci- 
dent, and  why  they  had  lost  the  erect  and  dignified 
bearing  peculiar  to  their  race.  One  old  savage,  more 
than  six  feet  high,  got  hold  of  my  pith  hat,  turned  it 
round,  looked  into  it  and  over  it,  and  finally  burst  into 
a broad  grin.  I noticed,  too,  that  he  had  abandoned 
all  control  over  his  facial  muscles ; and  though  he 
evidently  meant  to  be  civil,  that  he  could  not  bring 
back  the  normal  expression  of  sober  gravity  to  his 
countenance ; his  features,  in  spite  of  him,  would 
dissolve  into  a grin.  At  last  I smelt  sam-shu,  and  it 
transpired  that  the  villagers  had  been  thatching  a 
neighbour’s  house,  and,  as  is  customary,  had  been 
entertained  at  a wine-feast.  The  Pepohoans,  you  must 
know,  distil  a very  strong  spirit  from  the  sweet 
potatoe,  which  they  cultivate  as  a staple  food,  like  rice. 

Tong  after  a time  addressed  the  people  on  the 
foolishness  of  idolatry,  and  on  the  advantage  of  wor- 
shipping the  one  true  God  ; he  gained  a few  attentive 
hearers  ; but  as  for  the  drunken  part  of  the  community, 


OUR  BEDROOM  AT  KASANPO.  329 

they  could  make  nothing  of  his  sermon.  I will  now 
endeavour  to  describe  our  bedroom  ; but  in  the  first 
place  I must  tell  you  that  the  Pepohoan  huts  are 
infested  with  rats,  and  the  chamber  we  occupied  did 
not  escape  their  forays.  This  apartment  measured 
about  eight  feet  each  way,  one  half  of  which  area  was 
taken  up  by  a platform  of  bamboo  raised  about  eighteen 
inches  above  the  hard  clay  floor.  This  platform  formed 
our  bed  ; and  the  only  other  articles  of  furniture  to  be 
seen  within  were  two  billets  of  wood,  which  served  the 
purpose  of  pillows.  On  this  unyielding  couch,  then,  I 
stretched  myself  till  supper  was  ready.  Our  repast 
consisted  of  a fowl,  which  cost  us  half-a-crown,  and 
which  Ahong  was  now  making  ready  in  the  next  apart- 
ment. He  was  very  tired,  poor  fellow ; but  he  liked 
cooking,  more  especially  when  hog’s  lard  was  abundant. 
Nothing  marks  the  savage  more  conspicuously  than  his 
utter  unconcern  about  those  minor  social  arrangements, 
without  which  civilised  races  would  hardly  find  life 
endurable.  Thus  these  Pepohoans,  with  the  most 
eager  anxiety  to  make  us  comfortable,  yet  managed  to 
kindle  a great  fire  of  reeds,  to  boil  our  servants’  rice, 
in  such  a position  that  the  thick  smoke  poured  in  upon 
us  in  volumes  as  we  lay  at  rest.  No  doubt  it  never 
occurred  to  them  that  smoke  could  be  a nuisance  at  all. 
By  way  of  a lamp  we  had  a small  cup  of  oil,  in  which 
floated  a few  shreds  of  burning  pith ; and  by  this 
flickering  light  I could  see  that  the  clay  walls  were 
blackened,  and  the  rafters  glazed,  with  sooty  smoke. 
In  a corner  above  my  head  were  a bundle  of  green 
tobacco,  one  or  two  spears,  a bow,  a heap  of  arrows, 
a primitive  matchlock,  and  lastly — an  object  which  I 
had  not  hitherto  noticed— a huge  bin  of  unhusked  rice 


33° 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA.  . 


at  the  side  of  the  bed.  I fain  hoped  that  there  the 
rats  might  find  occupation  during  the  night  more  pro- 
fitable than  worrying  our  slumbers. 

Ahong  informed  me,  in  strict  confidence,  that  the 
dexterity  of  the  savages  hereabouts  in  the  use  of  the 
bow  and  poisoned  arrows  was  no  less  wonderful  than 
the  cool  way  in  which  they  boiled  and  ate  their  tender- 
hearted but  tough-limbed  Chinese  foes.  He  besought 
me  not  to  venture  much  further  into  the  mountains,  as 
the  hill  men  never  show  themselves  when  they  attack, 
but  discharge  their  arrows  high  into  the  air,  with  such 
unerring  precision  that  as  they  fall  they  pierce  the 
skulls  of  their  victims  and  cause  instant  death.  I strongly 
advised  Ahong  to  keep  his  head  well  protected. 
When  he  served  up  the  fowl  we  found  it  as  tough  as 
any  Chinaman  could  well  be,  even  when  boiled  down 
for  a cannibal’s  repast ; and  as  for  our  tea-pot,  it  had 
contained  sam-shu. 

These  Pepohoan  dwellings,  almost  all  of  them, 
form  three  sides . of  a square,  and  enclose  a yard  in 
front,  wherein  produce  is  dried,  and  where  the  family 
conduct  their  ‘ at  homes.’  In  the  evening,  at  about 
nine  o’clock,  the  natives  assembled  in  force  around  a 
blazing  log  fire,  which  they  kindled  on  this  open  space 
in  front.  The  aged  men  and  women,  and  the  children, 
squatted  round,  smoking  their  pipes  and  talking,  while 
a herd  of  long  prick-eared  curs  sat  intently  watching 
the  crackling  embers.  As  the  fire  blazed  up  the  flare 
edged  the  dark  forms  of  the  adjacent  palms,  and 
sported  fitfully  among  the  quivering  leaves  of  the 
overhanging  bamboo,  while  the  strange  figures  gathered 
around  the  fire,  now  burst  into  strong  relief  against  the 
dark  background  of  the  night,  now  vanished  into  im- 


A NATIVE  DANCE.  33* 

palpable  shadows  as  the  flames  flashed  up  or  sank 
before  the  varying  breeze.  Wood  and  reeds  were 
piled  on  ; the  fire  grew  brighter  and  brighter,  and  the 
spirits  of  the  party  seemed  to  rise  as  the  heat  increased. 
At  last  the  young  men  and  women  cleared  a space, 
crossing  arms  and  joining  hands,  till  they  formed  a 
crescent,  and  commenced  a plaintive  native  song, 
marking  the  rhythm  the  while  in  exquisite  time,  with  a 
graceful  tripping  dance.  First  one  man  led  off  with  a 
solo,  and  was  followed  by  the  band  with  a chorus  of 
interrogation  always  ending  with  the  exclamation  Hai ! 
To  this  the  women  responded  with  another  chorus,  and 
the  time  and  words  changed  to  a strophe  in  which  each 
stanza  ended  with  Sakieo ! The  movement  became 
gradually  faster,  and  the  nimble  feet  of  the  dancers 
quickened  as  the  measure  increased,  but  still  the  time 
was  marked  with  perfect  precision.  The  graceful  and 
intricate  step  set  off  the  fine  forms  of  the  dancers  to 
good  effect  in  the  weird  light.  Quicker  and  quicker 
grew  the  time,  until  at  last  it  became  furious  ; in  place 
of  ‘ Sakieo  ’ the  air  was  now  rent  with  fierce  savage 
yells,  and  the  flitting  forms  could  only  be  dimly  seen 
amid  a cloud  of  luminous  dust,  like  wild  phantoms 
hovering  in  space.  The  dance  was  kept  up  until  a 
late  hour,  the  hostess  wisely  supplying  her  guests 
with  nothing  more  intoxicating  than  tea — a discretion 
due  most  probably  to  the  presence  of  Europeans.  Had 
the  beverage  been  sam-shu,  there  is  no  knowing  how 
the  scene  might  have  ended.  As  it  was,  I had  never 
before,  not  even  among  Scotch  Highlanders,  witnessed 
such  a wild  display  of  animal  spirits.  We  did  not 
sleep  much,  as  we  found  that  rats  were  by  no  means 
the  only  vermin  we  had  to  entertain,  and  once  or  twice 


332 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


I woke  up  to  find  the  rats  making  short  tracks  across 
my  body  for  the  rice-bin. 

Next  morning  we  started  for  Lalung,  about  eleven 
miles  distant,  through  some  of  the  grandest  scenery  I 
have  ever  beheld.  Old  Atuan  furnished  us  with  an 
armed  guide — a good-looking  young  fellow  named 
‘ Teng-Tsai.’  The  path  was  an  unsafe  one,  leading  as 
it  did  through  the  lower  hunting-grounds  belonging  to 
tribes  of  savages  higher  up  in -the  hills.  Teng-Tsai 
called  a friend,  who  joined  our  party  with  his  match- 
lock, and  both  carried  small  priming-flasks  of  stag-horn 
suspended  round  their  necks  with  strings  of  glass  beads. 
They  had  also  cord  fusees  coiled  on  bamboo  rollers  or 
bracelets  round  their  left  arms.  These  cords  will  keep 
alight  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  when  kindled  the 
burning  end  is  attached  to  forceps,  which  bring  the 
light  down  into  the  powder-pan  when  the  trigger  is 
pulled.  All  the  savages  hereabouts  use  English 
powder  for  priming,  when  they  can  get  it  supplied 
them  by  the  Chinese.  As  soon  as  our  guides  lost 
sight  of  the  village,  they  lighted  their  fusees  and 
enjoined  us  to  keep  together  and  make  our  way  in 
silence.  For  the  first  half  of  our  journey  we  were 
marching  along  the  bed  of  a stream,  but  at  length  we 
ascended  a narrow  defile,  where  mighty  rocks  towered 
high  above  our  heads,  arched  over  in  places  by  great 
forest-trees  or  giant  ferns.  A clear  rill  leapt  from 
ledge  to  ledge,  or  rested  now  and  again  in  some  great 
stone  bason,  where  with  its  glassy  surface  it  mirrored 
the  bright  reflection  of  the  ferns  as  they  flung  their 
fronds  from  the  mossy  rock  to  form  a frame  around 
the  pool.  Here  we  halted  awhile  to  admire  the  intense 
loveliness  of  the  mountain  gorge,  and  to  obtain  a 


MO  UNTAIN  SCENE R Y. 


333 


photograph  of  the  scene,  regretting  all  the  time  that 
the  picture  on  glass  would,  after  all,  give  us  but  the 
bare  light  and  shade,  with  none  of  the  varied  tints  of 
the  hoary  bearded  rocks,  their  mossy  nooks  and 
crannies,  the  colours  of  the  pendant  climbing  plants,  or 
the  play  of  the  bright  sunshine  through  the  canopy 
of  leaves,  and  among  the  dark  rocky  masses  beneath. 
Apart  from  the  natural  beauty  of  this  spot,  its  rocks 
and  plants  would  afford  a rich  field  for  any  geologist 
or  botanist  who  might  find  his  way  so  far  from  the 
haunts  of  civilised  man.  An  armed  party  of  six 
friendly  Pepohoans  came  upon  us  as  we  were  enjoying 
a bath  and  a swim  in  a clear  deep  pool.  They  were 
out  on  a fishing  excursion ; and  one  old  fellow  was 
cleverly  shooting  his  fish  with  an  arrow,  while  the 
others  were  hunting  for  crabs  among  the  rocks,  twist- 
ing off  their  legs,  and  devouring  them  shell  and  all 
alive.  The  younger  members  of  the  party  caught  fish 
by  beating  the  water  with  a bamboo  rod,  and  thus 
stupifying  their  prey.  A tedious  climb  over  a mountain 
path,  that  wound  its  way  through  the  forest,  brought 
us  at  last  to  a change  of  scene. 

Here  the  trees,  many  of  them,  were  of  gigantic 
proportions  ; their  great  lateral  branches  striking  out 
at  a considerable  altitude  like  the  yards  of  a ship,  from 
which  hung  a multitude  of  the  bare  stems  of  parasite 
plants,  like  cables  and  rigging  flying  adrift  before  the 
breeze.  We  noted  a number  of  fine  specimens  of  the 
camphor-tree,  the  largest  about  four  feet  in  diameter, 
and  rising  to  a great  height  straight  as  an  arrow,  with 
a slight  taper  and  devoid  of  branches,  till  it  reached 
the  free  air  above. 

Besides  there  were  interminable  ratan  plants, 


334 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


passing  in  and  out  of  the  dense  undergrowth ; and 
in  a comparatively  open  space  we  fell  in  with  a 
splendid  lily,  of  great  size  and  in  full  flower,  the  entire 
plant  standing  about  twelve  feet  from  the  root. 
Orchids,  too,  were  there  in  abundance,  filling  the  air 
with  their  perfume  on  every  side.  From  the  summit 
of  this  hill  we  got  a view  of  the  central  mountain  chain. 
In  the  foreground,  like  huge  billows  rolling  in  upon 
the  shore,  were  a series  of  parallel  ranges  of  forest-clad 
hills,  like  the  one  on  which  we  stood.  Lalun<r  was 
still  hidden  from  sight,  in  a valley  six  miles  off.  A 
vapoury  haze  obscured  the  distant  landscape,  trans- 
forming the  mountains  into  broad  masses  of  a deep 
blue,  whose  soft  outlines  gleamed  beneath  the  rays  of 
the  now  declining  sun.  A Pepohoan  here  joined  our 
party ; he  had  travelled  over  the  mountains  from  the 
other  side  of  the  island,  and  was  now  homeward 
bound.  From  him  we  learnt  the  existence  of  a fine 
harbour  on  the  eastern  shore,  and  he  added  that  the 
tribes  granted  him  a free  pass  over  their  territory  on 
the  payment  of  three  bullocks.  It  was  about  four  o’clock 
when  we  entered  Lalung ; this  village  stands  on  the 
bank  of  a broad  river,  now  reduced  to  narrow  dimen- 
sions, and  to  be  seen  winding  along  some  half  a mile 
from  its  proper  bank,  which  rose  about  sixty  feet  above 
the  dry  channel  of  the  stream.  But  during  the  rains 
we  were  assured  that  the  river  swells  to  such  a volume 
that  it  fills  up  this  entire  bed,  and,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  it  is  constantly  forcing  new  passages  for  its  over 
flowing  waters  through  the  lower  hill  lands  near  the 
western  plain.  This  is  evidently  one  of  the  great 
arteries  of  the  drainage  of  the  central  mountains  : and, 
if  we  take  into  account  the  vast  altitude  of  those 


LA  LUNG. 


335 


mountains,  and  the  force  of  the  torrents  which  make 
their  way  over  the  narrow  plain,  carrying  with  them, 
annually,  immense  quantities  of  cUbns  that  the  sea 
continually  throws  back  and  deposits  along  the  western 
shore,  we  shall  probably  get  some  insight  into  the  way 
in  which  land  is  gradually  being  built  up  and  re- 


LALUNG  VILLAGE,  INTERIOR  OF  FORMOSA. 


deemed  from  the  ocean  on  the  west,  independently  of 
the  volcanic  action  still  at  work  in  certain  quarters  of 
the  island.  Thus  probably  we  may  account  for  the 
disappearance  of  the  Taiwan  harbour  within  the 
brief  period  of  200  years,  as  well  as  for  the  forma- 
tion of  Takow  harbour  further  south.  Perhaps  no 

25 


336 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


example  can  be  found  anywhere  better  than  in 
Formosa  of  the  power  of  water  to  transform  the 
physical  aspect  of  a country.  In  many  places  on  that 
island  no  settled  water-courses  exist ; and  thus  the 
torrents,  in  the  fearful  impetus  of  their  headlong  rush 
down  the  mountain  steeps,  attack  weak  positions  in  the 
rocks  and  soils,  and  form  new  passages  for  themselves. 

On  leaving  the  mountain  top  our  course  lay  for  an 
hour  through  the  dry  bed  of  a stream,  cut  through 
a black  rock  stratum,  where  we  discovered  traces  of 
shale  and  coal.  On  reaching  a small  stream  we  found 
Mrs.  Hong,  who  told  us  that  her  husband  would  put 
us  up  at  the  village.  This  lady  was  accompanied 
by  a party  of  young  savages,  who  carried  tackle  for 
fishing.  Lalung  village  is  only  separated  from  the 
territory  of  the  most  purely  savage  aborigines  by  the 
stream  which  I have  just  described,  and  its  inhabitants 
number  about  1,000  souls.  Hong  we  found  from 
home ; but  he  soon  returned,  and  informed  us  that 
Boon,  his  eldest  son,  had  lately  lost  his  wife,  and  was 
off  to  his  savage  kinsmen  in  the  mountains  to  secure 
another  bride.  He  was  expected  to  return  that  night, 
and  would  be  accompanied  by  an  escort  from  his 
partner’s  tribe.  Here,  in  these  Pepohoan  villages,  I 
found  the  only  instance  I encountered  of  China- 
men employing  middle-men  or  brokers  to  deal  with 
natives  of  the  country.  It  seems  that  Pepohoans  are 
very  often  used  as  go-betweens  in  the  barter  trade 
between  the  mountaineers  and  the  Chinese  ; for  the 
latter,  though  they  are  great  and  patient  traders,  yet  as 
a rule  possess  but  little  of  the  bold  spirit  of  adventure, 
and  entertain  a wholesome  dread  of  these  highlanders. 
They  are  not  without  good  grounds  for  their  fears  ; for 


PEPOHOAN  HOSPITALITY. 


337 


in  one  village  at  least,  a missionary,  who  lately  repaired 
thither,  found  the  men  adorning  their  huts  with  skulls 
of  their  Chinese  foes ; and  the  report  goes  that  they 
are  cannibals  too.  Strangely  enough  the  weapons  and 
ammunition  used  by  the  hill  tribes  to  destroy  wild 
animals,  and  Chinamen,  are  supplied  by  the  Chinese 
themselves. 

Family  ties,  between  the  wild  hill  tribes  and  the 
Pepohoans,  are  kept  up  by  constant  intermarriage. 
The  wedding  ceremony  is  a simple  one.  The  father 
of  the  lady  merely  takes  his  daughter  by  the  hand  and 
passes  her  over  to  her  lord,  and  then  there  is  a drink- 
ing-revel to  conclude  the  rites.1  In  the  old  Dutch 
accounts  of  the  people  it  is  said  that  the  offer  of  a 
present  by  a suitor,  and  its  acceptance  by  the  lady, 
entitles  the  giver  to  be  esteemed  the  legal  husband, 
according  to  the  rule  ‘ Nupticis  non  concubitus  sed  con- 
sensus facit : ’ and  the  marriage  tie  is  with  equal 
facility  dissolved.  Indeed  it  would  almost  seem  as  if 
the  ‘Free  Lovers’  of  America  had  borrowed  their 
creed  of  inconstancy,  and  their  fickle  practices,  from 
the  unchi valrous  Formosan  tribes. 

Hong,  having  at  length  appeared,  gave  us  a cordial 
welcome  to  his  house,  insisting  on  the  sacrifice  of  a pig 
for  the  more  perfect  accomplishment  of  hospitable 
rites.  The  porker  was  therefore  slaughtered  before  the 
door,  and  in  the  presence  of  a pack  of  half-starved 
hunting-dogs,  that  fought  savagely  over  the  drops  of 
blood. 

My  boy  Ahong  set  it  down  as  his  solemn  belief 
that  these  people  could  not  after  all  be  classed  as  utter 

1 See  for  further  information  Natives  of  the  West  Coast  of  Formosa, 
translated  from  an  old  Dutch  work  by  Rev.  W.  Lobscheid. 


338 


I NIX)-  CHINA  ANN  CHINA. 


barbarians,  for  they  clearly  understood  the  use  of  roast 
hog.  At  this  place  I collected  a number  of  old  Pepo- 
hoan  words,  which  appear  in  the  vocabularies  in  the 
Appendix. 

Next  morning  we  resumed  our  journey  under  the 
guidance  of  Goona,  the  youngest  son  of  our  host. 
Goona  was  a pure  young  savage,  full  of  laughter  and 
frolic,  wearing  a crown  of  ferns  on  his  head,  and  little 
else  by  way  of  clothing,  so  he  could  hardly  have  felt 
very  hot.  We  were  now  descending  a narrow  path  to 
the  dry  bed  of  the  river,  when  our  progress  was 
arrested  by  a yellowish  snake  about  seven  feet  long 
which  shot  out  his  head  across  our  track.  I struck 
him  over  the  neck  with  a heavy  bamboo  staff  which  I 
had  in  my  hand.  On  this  the  reptile  rolled  down  the 
bank,  and  when  we  had  completed  the  descent  we 
found  him  again  lodged  beneath  a boulder.  Aided  by 
one  or  two  natives  I managed  to  topple  the  mass  over, 
and  then  our  enemy  made  another  dart  forward,  hissing, 
glaring  with  his  fiery  eyes,  and  quivering  his  forky 
tongue.  I dealt  another  blow  and  dispatched  him.  I 
should  have  carried  him  off,  but  he  was  too  big  to  be 
easily  disposed  of,  so  I left  him  to  be  devoured  by  the 
Pepohoans,  who  are  said  to  be  fond  of  snakes.  I was 
anxious  to  cross  the  river,  but  was  urged  not  to  do  so, 
as  two  men  had  been  killed  by  a hostile  tribe  about  a 
month  before,  just  opposite  where  we  stood. 

I obtained  some  good  types  of  the  aboriginal  tribes 
in  this  quarter,  and  managed  also  to  photograph  the 
scenery.  About  two  o’clock  we  set  out  again  to  walk  to 
Lakoli,  which  lay  some  twelve  miles  off.  At  one 
place  we  crossed  a small  stream  of  strongly  alkaline 
water,  and  here  on  the  banks  some  alkali,  soda  or 


LAKOLI. 


339 


potash,  had  crystallised  in  such  quantities  as  to  re- 
semble a recent  fall  of  snow.  The  banks  of  the  main 
stream  now  towered  more  than  200  feet  above  the  dry 
bed,  and  alternating  strata  of  clay  and  boulders  could 
be  distinctly  seen.  Before  us  we  had  a panorama  of 
surpassing  grandeur.  The  mountains  rose  up  range 
above  range  covered  with  dense  forest,  and  bathed  in 
the  purple  light  of  sunset,  their  gigantic  forms  softened, 
and  beautified  by  the  foliage  of  the  ancient  forests. 
The  attractions  of  this  spot  were  as  varied  as  they 
were  beautiful.  At  one  place  a mountain  stream,  leap- 
ing out  of  some  dark  chasm,  tumbled  in  foam  over  the 
rocks,  and  was  lost  again  in  the  forest ; and  every- 
where around  us  we  could  see  that  the  same  Power 
who  clothed  the  stupendous  mountains  with  a mantle 
of  evergreen  verdure,  embroidered  by  the  sunset  with 
purple  and  gold,  had  not  left  the  minutest  fissure  in  the 
rocks  without  some  special  grace  of  its  own  : there, 
tool  in  flowers,  ferns,  and  mosses,  we  found  a modest 
world  of  microscopic  beauty. 

The  grandeur  of  this  region  during  the  wet  season 
must  baffle  description.  Then  a thousand  cataracts, 
veiled  in  vapour,  and  illumined  with  rainbow  hues, 
leap  from  the  mountain  sides,  roaring  and  tumbling  in 
their  downward  course  to  the  broad  river. 

Before  us,  as  in  a peaceful  vale,  we  could  see  the 
settlement  of  Lakoli — a few  rude  dwellings,  and  a 
patch  of  tilled  land,  amid  a jungle  wilderness.  In  the 
fast-failing  light  we  could  just  make  out  its  hedges  and 
areca-palms,  its  mango  and  langan-trees ; but  ere  long 
the  darkness  closed  in  around,  and  left  us  groping  our 
way  forwards  at  the  outskirt  of  the  hamlet.  We  could 
hear  the  sounds  of  wild  music,  laughter,  and  dancing ; 


34° 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


but  there  was  no  one  to  be  seen  until  we  fell  in  with 
the  hut  of  one  ‘ Kim-Siang,’  an  old  acquaintance  of  Dr. 
Maxwell. 

Here  we  met  but  a cool  reception.  The  old  man 
was  laid  up  with  the  effects  of  rheumatism  and  opium- 
smoking, and  we  found  a slave  girl  fanning  him  in  an 
adjoining  hut.  His  son,  a fellow  over  six  feet  high, 
stood  in  front  of  the  doorway  of  the  cabin,  and  beside 
him  was  his  wife,  a woman  from  a friendly  mountain 
tribe.  Outside  this  abode  hung  festoons  of  deer-skulls 
and  boar-heads  that  had  been  taken  in  the  chase.  When 
the  father  had  finished  his  opium-pipe,  he  consented  to 
allow  us  to  occupy  an  outer  shed  for  the  night. 

Anxious  to  procure  food,  and  a vessel  in  which  to 
boil  down  my  nitrate  of  silver  bath  to  dryness  (pho- 
tographers will  know  what  is  meant  by  the  bath  having 
struck  work,  and  obstinately  refusing  to  produce  a 
picture),  I made  my  way  by  torchlight  to  the  hut  of 
one  ‘ La-liat,’  an  Amoy  man,  engaged  here  in  barter 
traffic  with  the  hill-tribes.  We  found  little  or  no 
evidence  of  any  goods  in  La-liat’s  abode.  There  was 
a table  on  the  clay  floor,  and  a taper  flickering  feebly 
in  a cup  of  oil  above  it ; and  here,  in  this  cheerless 
dwelling,  a boisterous  party  had  gathered  themselves 
together,  and  were  engaged  in  smoking  and  drinking. 
Our  entrance  was  but  little  noticed,  and  less  appre- 
ciated. They  had  nothing  we  wanted,  not  even  a 
civil  word.  A drunken  old  woman  staggered  up  with 
a teapot  containing  sam-shu,  and  offered  to  sell  us  the 
vessel,  when  she  had  first  carefully  exhausted  its 
contents.  Meanwhile  La-liat,  who  had  been  sleeping 
on  a sort  of  counter,  woke  up,  recognised  my  friend, 
and  agreed  to  trade.  Strange  to  relate,  in  grateful 


AN  APPARITION. 


34i 


remembrance  of  his  former  acquaintance  with  the 
Doctor,  he  supplied  us  with  a dozen  eggs  and  a brown 
jar,  and  then  positively  refused  to  accept  payment,  so 
that  finally  we  had  to  force  our  money  upon  him.  He 
also  showed  us  raw  camphor,  skins,  horns,  boars’  tusks, 
ratan,  and  other  wares,  which  he  had  obtained  from  a 
party  of  savages  who  had  come  down  from  their  hunt- 
ing-grounds  to  Lakoli  the  day  before.  In  return  for 
these  goods  he  had  supplied  them  with  beads,  turkey- 
red  cloth,  knives,  and  gunpowder. 

Our  armed  guide  slept  on  a mat  in  the  hut  beside 
us,  while  Ahong  and  I were  engaged  till  about  2 a.m. 
boiling  down  my  bath  in  the  Chinese  pot.  It  was  a 
tedious  job.  First  Ahong  slept  as  we  sat  before  the 
fire  ; then  I slept ; then  we  both  slept,  and  the  fire 
went  low,  and  had  to  be  tended.  I complained  of  my 
boy’s  sleeping,  and  immediately  dozed  off  myself,  and 
so  on,  until  the  whole  liquid  was  evaporated.  Once 
the  alcoholic  fumes,  in  passing  off,  caught  fire ; then  I 
heard  a terrible  shriek,  and  started  up  to  find  the 
scared  face  of  a savage  old  woman  glaring  close  to 
mine.  She  must  have  been  placed  there  to  watch  us, 
and  she  vanished  instantly  into  the  darkness  whence 
she  had  appeared.  Ahong,  disturbed  in  his  sleep, 
caught  sight  of  the  apparition,  and  declared  that  it  was 
the — well,  never  mind  what!  But  he  did  not  rest 
quite  so  comfortably  after  that  incident.  I am  not 
myself  prepared  to  say  what  the  old  witch  could  have 
been,  or  how  she  vanished.  She  certainly  looked 
haggard,  hideous,  and  unearthly ; and  her  flight,  too, 
was  as  sudden  and  as  noiseless  as  the  puff  of  smoke 
which  she  jerked  fiercely  out  from  her  short  bamboo 
pipe. 


342 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Four  hours  rest,  and  we  were  up  again  by  day- 
light, and  ready  for  the  road.  After  the  night’s 
doctoring,  my  nitrate-of-silver  bath  gave  every  satisfac- 
tion ; only  the  water  which  I used  to  dilute  it  was  so 
extremely  alkaline,  that  I had  to  employ  a goodly  supply 
of  Chinese  vinegar  to  turn  it — slightly,  to  the  acid  side. 

As  I must  needs  quit  Formosa  with  this  chapter,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  summarise  my  experiences  from 
this  point,  and  to  condense  my  narrative  within 
narrower  limits. 

On  the  summit  of  the  first  range,  on  our  homeward 
route,  above  Lakoli,  in  place  of  setting  up  my  instru- 
ments to  photograph,  I felt  I would  much  rather  have 
lain  down  and  slept ; but  there  was  no  time  for  that, 
as  we  had  by  the  route  we  followed  between  twenty  and 
thirty  miles  to  walk  before  night,  and  a day’s  work  of 
photographing  to  overtake  besides. 

Dr.  Maxwell  was  not  feeling  well ; he  had,  how- 
ever, promised  to  be  at  Baksa  next  day  to  conduct  the 
service  in  the  chapel  there,  so  we  pushed  on.  At  the 
foot  of  another  range,  on  the  brink  of  a clear  cool 
stream,  I secured  two  more  photographs,  and  waited 
for  a short  time  to  admire  a sedgy  pool  and  to  bathe 
our  feet  in  its  clear  cool  water.  At  our  approach  a 
myriad  ot  tiny  fish  dived  for  shelter  beneath  the 
pebbles.  The  surface  was  alive  with  strange  insects, 
that  shot  like  comets  into  the  reeds ; while,  perched  on 
a broad  leaf,  sat  a lusty  toad,  watching  our  movements 
with  gentlemanly  self-possession  and  gravity,  and  look- 
ing as  if  he  fully  expected  an  apology  for  being  thus 
interrupted  at  his  morning  toilet.  The  remainder  of 
the  day’s  journey  was  almost  an  uninterrupted  toil  over 
hill  and  dale. 


ON  THE  ROAD. 


343 


At  noon  we  halted  at  a small  village  in  front  of  a 
hut,  where  an  old  woman  was  selling  fruit.  Here  a 
large  party  of  Pepohoans — in  clothing  that  might  have 
been  decent,  had  it  covered  their  nakedness — assembled 
to  see  us  eat ; and  it  must  have  been  a very  barbarous 
spectacle  to  them,  for  they  groaned  audibly  and  uttered 
strange  ejaculations  when  they  beheld  us  furiously 
devouring  hard-boiled  eggs  and  tea  ; but  the  prevail- 
ing expression  on  the  faces  of  this  cheaply-dressed 
crowd  was  that  of  low-bred  animal  curiosity.  1 he 
satisfaction,  however,  of  the  bystanders  could  hardly 
have  been  excelled  by  that  which  we  ourselves  derived 
from  the  repast.  The  Doctor,  as  was  his  custom, 
conversed  with  the  people,  and  prescribed  for  some 
who  were  sick. 

We  came  upon  a large  sheet  of  water  at  the  place 
where  we  next  halted,  and  there  we  swam  about  for 
some  time.  It  was  probably  an  imprudent  thing,  but 
it  refreshed  us  for  the  moment.  A few  hours  after  this 
my  friend  became  very  ill,  and  had  to  lie  down  beneath 
the  shade  of  some  shrubs,  in  a place  where  there  was 
not  a drop  of  clear  water  to  be  procured  for  miles 
around.  At  his  request,  I gave  him  a dose  of  quinine 
and  iron,  and  after  an  hour’s  rest  we  resumed  our 
march.  I took  a picture  of  one  of  the  deep  dry  clay- 
pits  of  this  region,  and  had  to  proceed  ten  miles  farther 
on  before  I could  get  a drop  of  water  to  wash  the  plate 
and  finish  the  negative.  It  turned  out  one  of  my  finest 
pictures  nevertheless. 

On  the  hill  above  Baksa  we  halted  at  a hut,  and 
were  there  regaled  with  a cup  of  pure  honey.  Descend- 
ing the  ridge  which  I described  at  starting  my  foot 
slipped,  but  fortunately  I saved  myself  from  the  fearful 


344 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


fall  by  clinging  to  the  sharp  edges  of  the  rock,  cutting 
my  hands,  however,  badly  in  the  accident.  Need  I 
say  that  when  we  reached  the  chapel  at  Baksa  our  rest 
that  night  was  profound  and  refreshing.  My  friend, 
although  feverish  and  ill,  was  still  well  enough  to  con- 
duct the  service  next  morning.  All  business  at  Baksa 
was  suspended  throughout  that  day,  and  there  were 
more  than  three  hundred  apparently  devout  wor- 
shippers at  the  little  mission  chapel.  There  is  a 
school  attached  to  this  edifice,  and  there  children  and 
even  adults  are  taught  to  read  and  write  in  the  Amoy 
dialect  of  the  Chinese  language. 

One  or  two  local  airs  had  been  adapted  to  our 
hymns,  and  there  was  something  wild  yet  plaintive 
about  them,  like  the  sighing  of  the  winds  through 
their  grand  old  forests,  or  the  noise  of  the  storms 
along  their  rocky  coast.  Apart  from  one  or  two 
such  airs — simple  ballads  handed  down  from  father 
to  son — the  Pepohoans  have  no  music  and  no  musical 
instruments,  so  far  as  I know.  They  are  extremely 
primitive  in  their  habits  too,  practising  no  art  save  the 
tilling  of  the  soil,  and  that  in  its  rudest  form.  But 
there  is  one  great  charm  about  these  untutored  tribes, 
and  this  consists  in  their  artless  good  faith  and  honesty. 
During  the  entire  journey  my  boxes  were  frequently 
left  open  and  unprotected,  and  yet  I never  lost  the 
value  of  a pin. 

But  I must  now  quit  this  island,  remarkable  no  less 
for  its  beauty  than  for  the  hospitality  of  its  simple  in- 
habitants. I afterwards  travelled  overland  to  Takow, 
for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  haunts  of  the  savages 
farther  south  ; but  they  were  at  war  with  the  Chinese, 
and  their  territory  could  not  be  entered  with  safety. 


Ang-hay-kamc 


\UNG -KANC  - BA  Y 


, KENG-  CH/U-MHA  ' / 


Twaba-xang. 

H A K - K 


GULL  tr  ^ 
FI  />OX-S/  AON 


LAM-TSUNC 

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AUTHORS  ROUTE- 


SOUTH-WESTERN  FORMOSA. 


JAPANESE  PROGRESS. 


345 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Japanese  in  Formosa — Cause  of  the  Invasion — The  River  Min — 
Foochow  Arsenal — Chinese  Gun-boats — Foochow  City  and  great 
Bridge — A City  of  the  Dead — Its  Inhabitants — Beggars — Thieves — 
Lepers — Ku-shan  Monastery — The  Praying  Bull — The  Hermit — Tea 
Plantation  on  Paeling  Hills — Voyage  up  the  Min — Shui-kow — An  Up- 
country  Farm — Captain  Cheng  and  his  Spouse — Yen-ping  City — 
Sacrificing  to  the  Dead — Shooting  the  Yen-ping  Rapids — A Native 
Passenger-boat. 


The  island  kingdom  of  Japan  is  to  all  appearance 
destined  to  afford  an  unparalleled  example  of  progress. 
She  has  indeed  preferred,  to  quote  Professor  Tyndall’s 
words,  ‘ Commotion  before  stagnation,  the  leap  of  the 
torrent  before  the  stillness  of  the  swamp  ; ’ and  we  have 
just  seen,  in  Formosa,  how  such  leaping  torrents  in 
their  impetuous  courses  cut  out  new  channels  in  the 
mountain  sides,  spread  fertility  over  the  plains  below, 
and  even  reclaim  the  land  from  the  barren  domain  of 
the  ocean  with  the  ddbris  which  they  sweep  down. 

There  is  vigorous  life,  and  hope,  and  high  promise 
for  the  future,  in  the  busy  movement  that  is  carrying 
Japan  from  darkness  and  semi-barbarism  into  the 
realms  of  civilisation  and  light  ; and  the  impetus,  if  we 
mistake  not,  which  she  is  gathering  in  her  onward 
course,  will  clear  away  mighty  obstacles,  and  check 
stagnation  and  decay  in  other  quarters  as  well  as  her 
own. 


346 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


The  invasion  of  Formosa  by  Japanese  troops  is  a 
fact  full  of  deep  significance ; and  more  righteous 
grounds  for  such  aggressive  action  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  any  government  to  possess.  Scores  of  Japa- 
nese sailors,  wrecked  from  time  to  time  upon  the  For- 
mosan coasts,  have  there  been  plundered  and  murdered 
by  the  savage  tribes ; and  as  these  barbarities  were 
perpetrated  on  Chinese  soil,  redress  was  applied  for  at 
Peking.  The  members  of  the  Imperial  Cabinet,  in  a 
moment  of  weakness — moments  of  not  unfrequent 
occurrence  in  Chinese  state  history — appear  to  have 
conceded  the  right  for  the  Japanese  to  proceed  to 
Formosa  and  seek  redress  for  themselves. 

It  would  be  extremely  interesting  to  know  what 
share  the  aborigines  of  P'ormosa  have  really  taken  in  the 
cold- blooded  massacres  of  castaways  that  have  recently 
been  reported  from  that  island.  It  seems  pretty  clear 
that  it  was  the  Kalee  tribes  who  put  the  crew 
of  the  ‘ Rover  ’ to  death  : at  the  same  time  it  is  equally 
certain  that  the  murder  of  the  captain  and  sailors 
of  the  ‘ Macto  ’ was  perpetrated  by  Chinese  villagers 
at  Takow. 

If  we  are  thus  to  believe  that  pure  motives  of 
humanity  gave  rise  to  this  invasion  of  Formosa  by  the 
Japanese,  it  would  be  only  just  to  award  to  the  Mikado 
and  his  ministers  the  highest  meed  of  praise ; but,  per- 
haps, .it  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Japanese 
have  not  yet  forgotten  their  ancient  feuds  against 
China,  and  still  fall  somewhat  short  of  that  almost  un- 
attainable pitch  of  national  virtue,  which  would  induce 
them  to  enter  upon  costly  expeditions  to  redress  out- 
rages committed  upon  native  crews.  Flowever  the 
matter  end,  its  results  will,  as  I should  anticipate,  be 


THE  RIVER  MIN. 


347 


advantageous.  China  may  get  off  by  paying  the  cost 
of  the  expedition — a proceeding  which,  while  it  humbled 
her  national  vanity,  would  stir  her  up  to  imitate  and 
rival  Japan,  so  as,  if  possible,  to  outstrip  her  in  the 
march  of  progress,  from  the  sheer  necessity  of  self- 
preservation  ; and  I have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that 
China,  petrified  and  stagnant  as  she  is,  and  has  been, 
for  so  many  centuries,  yet  contains  within  herself  all 
the  material  elements  that  will,  one  day,  win  her  a proud 
pre-eminence  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Truth  even  now  is  busily  at  work  loosening  the 
earth  about  the  ancient  foundations  of  classical  lore 
and  superstition  on  which  her  venerable  wall  of  fossil 
institutions  is  reared  ; and  that  wall,  ere  Jong,  will  be 
lowered  stone  by  stone,  or  overthrown  with  some  vio- 
lent shock,  till  a way  has  been  opened  across  it  for  the 
purer  institutions  of  progressive  government.  Should 
war  be  the  alternative,  it  will  probably  only  hasten  the 
work  of  regeneration. 

I will  now  take  leave  of  the  island  of  Formosa, 
and  cross  again  to  the  mainland  of  China,  where,  in  the 
province  of  Fu-kien,  I gathered  some  information  re- 
lating to  the  progress  made  by  the  Chinese  in  the  arts 
of  natural  defence,  and  the  construction  of  implements 
of  war. 

The  river  Min,  flowing  through  the  heart  of  the 
Fu-kien  province,  is  one  of  the  main  outlets  for  the 
drainage  of  the  mountainous  region  where  the  cele- 
brated Bohea  hills  stand,  and  is  also  the  channel  down 
which  the  produce  of  one  of  the  richest  tea  districts  in 
China  is  conveyed  for  exportation.  The  stream,  how- 
ever, although  a broad  one,  is  not  navigable  for  large 
vessels  beyond  the  town  of  Shui-Kow,  which  stands  on 


348 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


its  left  bank  at  the  foot  of  dangerous  rapids  one  hun- 
dred miles  from  the  coast. 

The  entrance  to  the  Min  by  the  south  channel  is 
nearly  opposite  to  a group  of  islands  known  as  the 
‘ White  Dogs.’  There  are,  however,  two  other  channels 
now  in  use ; the  most  northerly  between  Sharp  Peak 
Island  and  the  mainland,  and  only  available  for  vessels 
of  light  draught,  while  the  middle  channel,  discovered 
quite  recently,  and  to  the  south  of  Sharp  Peak,  has  a 
breadth  of  about  three-quarters  of  a mile,  and  is  nearly 
three  fathoms  deep  at  low  tide.  The  south  channel  is 
not  quite  so  roomy,  nor  yet  so  direct,  except  for  vessels 
trading  south. 

A lighthouse  now  being  built  on  the  ‘White  Dogs’ 
will  prove  of  great  advantage  to  the  port.  The  Kin- 
pai  and  Min-Ngan  passes,  through  which  the  anchor- 
age is  gained,  recalled  the  approaches  to  the  Pearl 
River. 

The  harbour  is  about  thirty  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  is  wide  enough  to  contain  the  entire 
merchant  fleet  of  China.  This  spot  is  called  ‘ Pagoda 
Anchorage,’  and  takes  that  name  from  a small  island 
crowned  with  an  old  pagoda,  which  forms  a conspicuous 
object  in  the  landscape.  But  for  this  purely  Chinese 
edifice,  one  might  readily  suppose  oneself  transported 
suddenly  to  a scene  on  the  river  Clyde.  There  stand 
the  houses  of  a small  foreign  settlement,  and  yonder  are 
a dock,  tall  chimnies,  and  rows  of  workshops,  whence 
the  clang  of  steam-hammers  and  the  hum  of  engines 
may  be  distinctly  heard.  Here,  in  fact,  is  the  Foochow 
Arsenal,  on  a piece  of  level  ground  redeemed  from  an 
old  swamp,  and  looking  in  the  distance  like  an  English 
manufacturing  village. 


FOOCHOW  ARSENAL. 


349 


But  side  by  side  with  the  residences  on  the  hill, 
there  is  a crescent-shaped  stone  shrine  of  imposing 
proportions,  designed  to  correct  the  Feng-shui,  which 
has  been  seriously  disturbed  by  the  construction  of  an 
arsenal  after  a foreign  type. 

This  arsenal,  like  all  the  others  on  Chinese  soil, 
was  raised  simply  because  the  native  authorities  deemed 
it  expedient  to  remodel  their  military  equipments  with 
all  possible  speed, and  then  Feng-shui,  or  the  Geomantic 
luck  of  the  locality,  was  treated  with  but  scant  con- 
sideration. Feng-shui,  indeed,  had  to  yield  to  the  stern 
necessity  of  the  times,  and  was  relegated  to  this  very 
humble  station  on  the  hill-side,  where  the  outraged 
terrestial  dragon,  and  the  no  longer  venerated  tiger, 
may  weep  sympathetically  over  the  evidences  of  a 
degenerate  age.  Thus  we  find  that  the  most  cherished 
superstitions  of  China  are  compelled  to  give  way,  so 
often  as  expediency  may  necessitate  change. 

The  latest  news  from  this  quarter  brings  the  start- 
ling announcement  that  since  the  landing  of  the 
Japanese  troops  telegraphic  communication  has  actually 
been  established  between  Foochow  city  and  the  coast : 
(the  authorities  also  propose  to  lay  a submarine  cable, 
to  connect  Formosa  with  the  mainland)  ; and  that 
the  local  authorities  have  inscribed  notices  on  the 
telegraph  posts  that  anyone  who  is  caught  doing 
damage  to  them  will  be  severely  punished.  By  steps 
like  this  the  fanatic  dread  of  the  common  people  will 
readily  be  overcome  ; for  they  account  their  scholarly 
mandarins  much  better  judges  of  Feng-shui  and  its 
influences  than  they  themselves  can  pretend  to  be. 
But  let  us  visit  the  Chinese  foreign  arsenal. 

The  first  building  we  enter,  when  we  land,  reminds 

26 


35° 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


us,  by  its  lofty  roof  and  general  appearance,  of  a plain 
English  railway-station;  It  is  constructed  of  brick  on 
a solid  granite  foundation,  and  is  enclosed  by  a wall, 
which  is  also  of  granite,  and  which  rises  about  five 
feet  above  the  floor.  Passing  in  through  a spacious 
doorway  we  make  our  way  along  an  iron  avenue,  lined 
on  both  sides  with  smith’s  forges,  whose  blast  is  supplied 
by  steam.  The  engine  which  ministers  to  these  forges 
has  a driving-wheel  of  colossal  proportions,  and  may 
also  be  seen  quickening  a row  of  steam-hammers,  with 
forces  mighty  enough  to  forge  a shaft  for  the  biggest 
steamer  afloat,  or  so  delicate  as  to  straighten  a pin. 
Strange  as  it  may  appear,  these  giant  tools,  when  first 
seen  working,  produced  but  little  impression  on  their 
Chinese  spectators.  Whether  it  be  that  the  celestials 
when  brought  face  to  face  with  any  new  wonder  do  not 
care  to  display  vulgar  emotion,  or  whether  rather  stolid 
apathy  and  indifference  are  national  characteristics,  it  is 
difficult  to  decide  ; but  I well  remember  a lady  expres- 
sing her  surprise  to  me,  when  she  had  landed  in 
Eneland  with  a Chinese  nurse,  who  had  never  been  in 
Europe  before,  to  find  the  woman  passing  through 
London  quite  unmoved  by  all  the  marvels  of  that  city, 
and  stepping  into  a railway-carriage  as  if  she  had  been 
accustomed  to  express  trains  all  her  life.  She  did, 
however,  volunteer  one  remark,  to  the  effect  that  it  was 
‘too  muchee  fast  pidjin,  very  good  for  Englishman, 
but  too  muchee  bobbery  for  a Chinese  gentleman.’ 

The  next  workshop  we  visit  is  as  spacious  as 
the  preceding  one,  and  contains  the  half  formed 
skeleton  of  a mammoth  engine  for  rolling  out  sheet 
iron  and  steel  armour-plating  for  iron-clad  ships.  An 
iron  driving-wheel,  eighteen  feet  in  diameter,  is  to  be 


NATIVE  MECHANICS. 


35i 


seen  there  propped  up  in  position.  V/e  next  cross  a 
broad  paved  court,  having  a line  of  railway  along  one 
of  its  sides,  used  in  conveying  materials  to  the  different 
workshops  which  run  parallel  to  the  rails  and  face  the 
river.  In  these  shops  practical  engineering  and  ship- 
building in  its  various  branches  are  being  carried  on  ; 
and  in  one  there  is  a sort  of  school,  where  mechanical 
drawing  and  modelling  are  taught  by  French  masters. 
These  instructors,  all  of  them,  remarked  to  me  on  the 
wonderful  aptitude  displayed  by  the  Chinese  in  picking 
up  a knowledge  of  the  various  mechanical  appliances 
employed  in  the  arsenal.  Many  of  the  men  who  are 
there  working  at  the  steam-lathes,  and  guiding  the 
planing-machines,  had  two  or  three  months  before  been 
ordinary  field  labourers ; and  yet  there  they  are  now 
turning  shafts,  and  planing  iron  plates  to  specified 
dimensions,  as  accurately  &s  if  they  had  been  trained 
for  years  to  the  trade. 

In  one  apartment  a powerful  machine  is  punching 
rivet-holes  in  boiler-plates — holes  which,  any  one  of 
them,  would  keep  a native  blacksmith  drilling  for  half 
a day,  but  which  are  here  pierced  in  less  than  a second. 
In  another  department  we  found  men  at  work  making 
wooden  patterns  for  iron  castings,  and  others  construct- 
ing models  of  steam-engines,  to  be  used  in  educating 
the  pupils  of  this  great  training-school. 

There  are  indeed  many  admirable  specimens  of 
complicated  work  carried  out  solely  from  drawings  ; the 
whole  betokening  a very  advanced  degree  of  skill  and 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  workmen.  All  these 
results  have  been  achieved  under  the  guidance  of 
European  foremen.  For  my  own  part,  from  what  I 
have  seen  in  these  arsenals,  I firmly  believe  that  when 


352 


IN  DO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  Chinese  find  it  convenient  to  throw  off  their  grossly 
superstitious  notions  regarding  foreign  inventions  and 
appliances,  they  will  excel  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
exact  sciences,  and  in  their  practical  application  to  the 
construction  of  machinery.  Chinamen,  as  a rule,  are 
careful,  painstaking,  and  exact  in  their  own  occupations. 
Hence  the  facility  with  which  the  mere  tiller  of  the 
soil  can  be  trained,  in  such  an  establishment  as  this 
arsenal,  till  he  becomes  competent  to  take  charge  of  an 
engine,  where  a single  error  in  the  handling  of  a lever, 
or  turn  of  a screw,  might  at  any  moment  cost  him  his 
life.  Pupils  in  the  arsenal  or  training-school  are 
boarded  and  placed  under  efficient  foreign  masters. 
They  are  there  taught  to  read  and  understand  foreign 
books,  and  thus  to  ascertain  for  themselves  that  science 
is  the  true  Feng-shui  of  foreign  progress.  No  expense 
is  spared  to  render  the  institution  efficient.  The  man- 
darins connected  with  the  arsenal  look  with  pardonable 
vanity  at  the  steam  gun-boats  that  have  been  built 
under  their  own  eyes,  and  sent  into  commission  from 
their  own  naval  and  ship-building  yards.  A gunboat 
had  been  launched  from  the  patent  slip  a few  days 
previous  to  our  visit,  and  the  sister  vessel  was  already 
on  the  stocks. 

Proceeding  on  board  the  former,  we  are  received  by 
the  Chinese  captain  and  his  lieutenant  with  great 
courtesy,  and  conducted  all  over  the  ship.  This  a 
nautical  friend  present  pronounced  to  be  an  honest, 
solid,  masterly  piece  of  work  throughout.  The  wood- 
work of  the  cabin  is  simply  varnished,  and  relieved 
with  narrow  gold  mouldings.  The  officers’  cabin  and 
mess-room  are  finished  in  the  same  unpretending,  and 
yet  not  inelegant  style  ; and  in  the  sailors’  quarter  we 


CHINESE  MARINES. 


353 


notice’ that  each  seaman  is  supplied  with  a strong  teak 
bunker,  to  hold  his  effects,  and  to  serve  him  also  instead 
of  a couch  or  chair. 

This  gun-vessel  carries  one  huge  Armstrong  gun 
on  her  upper  deck,  and  is  to  be  fitted  with  the  same 
weapons  throughout.  Her  armament,  therefore,  will 
render  her  a formidable  enemy  to  pirates,  though  not 
perhaps  of  much  service  in  a combat  with  any  Euro- 
pean Power. 

Our  next  visit  is  to  a vessel  in  commission  lying  oft* 
the  arsenal,  and  manned  throughout,  from  captain  to 
cabin-boy,  by  an  entirely  Chinese  crew.  Stepping  on 
deck  from  the  gangway,  we  are  saluted  in  military 
style  by  a Ningpo  marine,  who  informs  us,  in  tolerable 
English,  that  we  shall  find  the  captain  in  his  cabin. 
The  dress  of  this  marine  is  admirable,  consisting  of  a 
black  turban,  blue  blouse,  pantaloons  with  red  stripe, 
and  a pair  of  neat  and  strongly  made  native  shoes.  A 
well-kept  belt  fastens  in  the  blouse  at  the  waist,  and 
supports  also  a cartouche-box  and  side-arms. 

An  officer  of  marines  next  welcomes  us  on  board, 
and  says  : — 

‘ S’pose  you  likee,  my  can  show  you  my  drill 
pidjin,’  an  offer  which  we  gladly  accept.  ‘ My  hab 
got  two  squab,  one  too  muchee  new,  other  olo,  can 
saby  drill  pidjin.’  He  means  to  say  that  he  has  two 
squad,  one  well  trained,  and  the  other  raw  recruits. 
It  wants  still  fifteen  minutes  to  drill  time,  so,  at  the 
captain’s  request,  we  will  take  a peep  into  his  cabin. 

In  most  respects  this  resembles  that  of  some  English 
gunboats ; but  on  a small  table,  supported  by  graceful 
brackets,  we  note  a strange  assortment  of  foreign 
nautical  instruments  spread  around  a small  idol.  This 


3i4 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


idol  was  the  only  visible  token  of  native  supe»stition, 
and  was  used  in  conjunction  with  the  barometer  and 
thermometer  to  avoid  coming  storms,  or  to  find  out 
lucky  days  for  sailing.  Nevertheless,  everything 
around  us  bears  unmistakable  evidence  of  progress. 
Having  partaken  of  wine  with  our  hospitable  enter- 
tainer, we  next  return  to  the  upper  deck  to  see  the 
marines  at  drill.  The  bugleman  sounds  to  quarters, 
and  the  men,  with  Enfield  rifles  in  their  hands,  fall,  or 
rather  tumble,  into  position,  six  or  eight  at  a time. 
Then  one,  more  dilatory  than  his  fellows,  pops  his 
head  out  of  a hatchway,  in  order  to  satisfy  himself  that 
his  company  could  not  be  dispensed  with,  scrambles  on 
deck  as  he  drags  himself  into  his  blouse  and  pantaloons, 
and  fixes  his  belt  as  he  falls  in.  Some,  too,  have  mis- 
placed their  rifles,  but  all  have  now  fairly  got  into  line, 
and  all  appear  orderly  enough  until  one  unlucky  fellow, 
feeling  perhaps  a sudden  twinge  of  itch,  drops  his 
weapon  to  have  a scratch.  A comrade  politely  leaves 
the  ranks  to  clear  his  throat  over  the  side  ; and  so  the 
drill  proceeds,  its  forms  seemingly  well  understood  by 
most  of  the  men,  but  its  object,  so  far  as  we  could 
judge,  almost  entirely  ignored.  Thus  there  is  a 
marked  absence  of  the  discipline  we  always  associate 
with  naval  or  military  training.  Possibly  they  may 
have  learned  something  of  this  stricter  discipline  within 
the  past  two  years,  for  they  have  lately  had  an  able 
European  instructor  resident  at  the  arsenal,  though  in 
charge,  more  particularly,  of  the  rising  generation  of 
naval  cadets  attached  to  the  school. 

It  had  been  reported  that  native  workmen  were 
making  the  chronometers  and  telescopes  in  use  on 
board  the  gunboats  ; so,  to  ascertain  for  ourselves  how 


FOREIGN  EMPLOYES  AT  THE  ARSENAL.  355 

much  the  Chinese  can  accomplish  in  this  way,  let  us 
visit  their  optical  and  horological  departments.  I here 
we  certainly  see  the  native  mechanics  grinding  and 
polishing  lenses  ; but  they  are  lenses  of  the  simplest 
character — plano-convex,  for  the  eye-pieces  of  teles- 
copes— and  we  could  not  learn  that  they  have  any 
notion  how  to  produce  the  achromatised  object-glasses, 
which  are  by  far  the  most  important  part  of  the  instru- 
ment. In  the  same  way,  while  they  are  capable  of 
making  some  parts  of  the  chronometer  works,  they  do 
not  yet  understand  its  mechanism,  nor  have  they 
appliances  or  knowledge  to  fit  them  to  construct  the 
chronometer  throughout. 

The  opticians  make  ships’  compasses,  portions  of 
sextants,  and  the  brass  work  of  other  nautical  instru- 
ments. How  they  acquired  these  arts  it  is  difficult  to 
make  out,  as  their  foreign  teacher  confessed  to  his 
complete  ignorance  of  their  language. 

P.  Giguel  was  the  chief  director  of  this  establish- 
ment, and  to  him  the  Chinese  are  mainly  indebted  for 
its  success.  It  was  no  small  achievement  to  have 
trained,  within  a limited  time,  the  little  colony  of 
Chinese  labourers  to  such  a degree  of  perfection  as  to 
enable  them  to  produce,  with  their  own  toil,  a small 
fleet  of  well-built  gunboats  that  would  not  dishonour 
our  own  ship-building  yards  at  home. 

The  Viceroy  Tso,  under  whose  auspices  the  arsenal 
was  built,  is  also  deserving  of  some  credit,  although  he 
was  not  the  first  to  see  the  need  for  a change  in  the 
construction  of  the  warlike  implements  of  his  nation. 

The  monthly  expenditure  of  the  whole  establish- 
ment is  reported  at  about  17,000/.  It  appears  that 
the  authorities  have  recently  discharged  the  foreign 


1ND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


356 

employes,  though  what  may  have  been  their  reason 
for  this  step,  which  happened  just  before  the  Japanese 
invaded  Formosa,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say. 

Foochow  city,  one  of  the  great  tea  marts  of  China, 
stands  about  seven  miles  above  the  arsenal  and  the 
harbour  where  the  vessels  load  tea.  Of  all  the  open 


UPPER  BRIDGE,  FOOCHOW. 


ports  this  is  perhaps  the  most  picturesque,  and  its 
stone  bridge  of  ‘ ten  thousand  ages  ’ proves  that  the 
ancient  Chinese,  had  they  so  chosen,  might  have  left 
monuments  behind  them  more  worthy  of  their  civilisa- 
tion and  prowess  than  their  great  unwieldy  wall — 
monuments  which  would  have  shed  a gleam  of  truth 
across  the  obscure  pages  of  their  bygone  history.  This 


FOOCHOW  FOREIGN  SETTLEMENT. 


357 


bridge  was  erected,  it  is  said,  about  900  years  ago,  and 
displays  no  pretensions  to  ornamentation  except  in  its 
stone  balustrade.  It  is  indeed  evident  that  its  builders 
had  convenience  and  durability  alone  in  view  ; and 
the  masses  of  solid  granite  then  employed,  still  but 
little  injured  by  the  lapsq  of  time,  bear  high  testimony, 
in  their  colossal  proportions,  to  the  skill  of  the  ancient 
engineers  who  raised  them  up  out  of  the  water,  and 
placed  them  in  position  on  the  stone  piers  above. 
The  bridge  is  fully  a quarter  of  a mile  in  length,  and 
the  granite  blocks  which  stretch  from  pier  to  pier  are 
some  of  them  forty  feet  long. 

The  foreign  settlement  is  separated  from  Foochow 
city  by  the  great  bridge,  and  by  a small  island  which 
here  rises  in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  The  site  was 
formerly  that  of  an  old  Chinese  burial-ground,  and 
abundant  disputes  arose  in  consequence  when  plots 
had  to  be  purchased  for  the  erection  of  houses,  the 
natives  being  loath  to  see  the  dwellings  of  living  ‘ foreign 
devils  ’ erected  over  the  resting-places  of  their  own 
hallowed  dead.  But  money,  which  exercises  as  potent 
an  influence  here  as  elsewhere,  procured  a solution  of 
the  difficulties  : even  the  spirits  of  the  departed  were 
to  be  consoled  by  timely  offerings  at  their  shrines  ; 
and  so  now,  on  these  hills,  the  dust  of  the  long-forgotten 
dead  is  trodden  under  foot  by  the  hated  foreign  in- 
truder, and  mingles  with  the  roses  with  which  his 
garden  is  adorned.  Even  the  tombs  have,  some  of 
them,  been  turned  to  account.  Living  occupants  have 
entered  into  joint  tenancy  with  the  silent  inhabitants 
who  repose  beneath,  and  pigs  or  poultry  may  be  seen 
enjoying  the  cool  shade  and  shelter  which  the  ample 


35» 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


granite  gravestone  supplies.  But  I need  not  give  any 
detailed  description  of  the  foreign  residences  at  Foo- 
chow. The  reader  knows  nearly  all  about  them 
already,  if  he  has  ever  chanced  to  dwell  in  a house  of 
not  quite  modern  date,  such  as  is  to  be  seen  not  un- 
frequently  in  Surrey,  surrounded  by  an  acre  or  two 
of  garden  ground.  The  furniture  and  accessories  are 
as  nearly  European  as  they  can  be  beneath  an  almost 
tropical  sun.  But  as  for  the  crowd  of  spacious  offices 
away  down  near  the  river,  I have  no  doubt  that  a 
whole  volume  might  be  written  about  them,  and  about 
the  mysteries  of  the  tea-trade  carried  on  beneath  their 
roofs.  The  residents  form  a very  agreeable  commu- 
nity. Petty  feuds,  of  course,  occur  among  them,  as 
they  have  abundance  of  leisure  on  their  hands  when 
the  tea  season  is  over ; but,  as  a rule,  they  employ 
their  spare  time  much  more  wisely  than  in  idle  local 
squabbles,  and  seek  healthful  recreation  among  the 
mountains  and  glens  of  the  province.  The  only  regret 
I experienced,  when  I quitted  Foochow,  was  that  I 
could  not  prolong  my  stay  there. 

This  notice  of  the  graves  in  the  foreigners’  quarter 
may  be  supplemented  by  some  account  of  the  living 
tenants  to  be  met  with  in  a city  of  the  dead  close  by ; 
but  before  proceeding  to  describe  the  condition  of  these 
wretched  beings,  it  may  be  as  well  to  give  the  reader  a 
notion  of  the  condition  of  the  poor  in  Foochow. 

In  China  the  beggar  pursues  his  calling  unmolested, 
and  has  even  won  for  himself  a protection  and  quasi- 
recognition at  the  hands  of  the  civic  authorities.  The 
fact  is,  that  the  charitable  institutions  of  the  country 
cannot  cope  with  a tenth  part  of  the  misery  and  desti- 
tution that  prevails  in  popular  localities.  No  poor 


BEGGARS. 


359 


beggar-chiefs  who,  like  himself,  exercised  the  right  to 
keep  the  members  of  their  order  under  their  own 
management  and  control. 

During  my  stay  in  Foochow  I was  introduced  to 
one  of  these  beggar  kings ; he  was  an  inveterate  opium- 
smoker,  and  consequently  in  reduced  circumstances. 
I afterwards  visited  the  house  of  another  head-man. 


law  is  known,  and  the  only  plan  adopted  to  palliate 
the  evil  is  to  tolerate  begging  in  public,  and  to  place 
the  lazaroni  under  the  local  jurisdiction  of  a responsible 
chief.  In  Foochow  the  city  is  divided  into  wards,  and 
within  the  limits  of  each  ward  a head-man  is  appointed, 
able  to  trace  his  descent  from  a line  of  illustrious 


X'HE  KING  OF  THE  BEGGARS. 


3<5° 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  was  much  struck  with  the  many  evidences  ot 
comfort  and  affluence  with  which  he  was  surrounded. 
II is  eldest  son  received  me  at  the  entrance,  and  con- 
ducted me  into  a guest’s  chamber  ; and  while  I was 
seated  there  two  ladies,  dressed  in  silks  and  with  a 
certain  degree  of  refinement  in  their  air,  passed  the 
door  of  the  apartment  in  order  to  steal  a glimpse  at  its 
inmate.  These  were  the  chief  and  the  second  wives 
of  this  Lord  of  the  Lazaroni,  who  was  himself  unfor- 
tunately absent  on  business. 

Beggar  chieftains  of  this  kind  have  it  in  their  power 
to  make  an  agreement  with  the  business  men  of  the 
streets  in  their  respective  wards,  under  which  they  levy 
a kind  of  poor-rate  for  the  maintenance  of  themselves 
and  their  subjects.  A composition  thus  entered  into 
exempts  the  streets  or  shops  whereon  the  chief  has 
placed  his  mark  from  the  harassing  raids  of  his  tattered 
troops.  Woe  betide  the  shopman  who  has  the  courage 
to  refuse  his  dole  to  these  beggars  ! The  most  loath- 
some and  pertinacious  specimens  of  the  naked  tribe 
will  be  dispatched  to  beset  his  shop.  Thus,  while 
walking  along  one  of  the  best  streets  in  the  city,  I 
myself  saw  a -revolting,  diseased,  and  filthy  object 
carried  on  the  shoulders  of  another  member  of  the 
fraternity,  who  marched  into  a shop  and  deposited  his 
burden  on  the  polished  counter,  where  the  tradesman 
was  serving  customers  with  ornaments  for  shrines  and 
food  for  the  gods.  The  bearer,  with  cool  audacity, 
proceeded  to  light  his  pipe  and  smoke,  until  he  had 
been  paid  to  remove  the  cripple.  A still  worse  case 
was  narrated  to  me  by  an  eye-witness.  A silk-mercer 
had  refused  to  contribute  his  beggar’s-rate,  and  accord- 
ingly received  a domiciliary  visit  from  a representative 


A CITY  OF  THE  DEAD. 


361 

of  the  chief.  This  intruder  had  smeared  his  bare  body 
with  mud,  and  carried  a bowl  slung  with  cords,  and 
filled  with  foul  water  to  the  very  brim.  Having  taken 
up  his  stand  in  the  shop  he  commenced  to  swing  this 
bowl  round  his  head  without,  indeed,  spilling  a drop  of 
its  contents,  yet  so  that,  had  anyone  attempted  to 
arrest  his  arm,  the  water  would  have  been  distributed 
in  a filthy  shower  over  the  silks  piled  upon  the  counter 
and  shelves. 

But  there  is  still  another  and  a worse  class  of 
beggars — outlaws  who  own  allegiance  to  no  prince  or 
power  on  earth — and  these  were  the  men  whom  I visited 
and  found  dwelling  in  the  charnel-houses  in  a city  of 
the  dead.  Many  of  the  little  huts  in  this  dismal  spot 
were  built  with  brick  and  roofed  with  tiles.  They 
contained  coffins  and  bodies  placed  there  to  await  the 
favourable  hour  for  interment,  when  the  rites  of  Feng- 
shui  might  be  duly  performed,  and  the  remains  laid  to 
rest  in  some  well-situated  site,  where  neither  wind  nor 
wave  would  disturb  their  sacred  dust.  But  poverty, 
death,  distress,  or  indeed  a variety  of  causes,  not  un- 
frequently  intervene  to  prevent  the  surviving  relatives 
from  ever  choosing  this  happy  site  and  bringing  the 
final  ceremonies  to  a consummation;  and  thus  it  comes 
to  pass  that  the  coffins  lie  forgotten  and  moulder  into 
dust,  and  the  tombs  are  invaded  by  the  poor  out- 
casts, who  there  seek  shelter  from  the  cold  and  rain, 
creeping  gladly  to  slumber  into  the  dark  corners  of  a 
sepulchre,  and  then  most  happy  when  they  most  imitate 
the  dead. 

On  my  first  visit  to  this  place  I recollect  being 
attracted  to  an  ominous-looking  tomb  by  hearing  some 
one  moan  there.  It  was  growing  dark,  and  I may 


362 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


have,  perhaps,  felt  a little  superstitious  as  I peeped  in 
and  beheld  what  seemed  to  be  an  old  man  dad  in  rags 
too  scant  to  cover  his  bony  frame.  He  was  fanning  a 
fire  made  up  of  withered  branches,  but  he  was  not  the 
only  tenant ; there  was  a coffin  there,  too,  looming  out 
from  the  darkness  within,  and  I almost  fancied  he  was 
the  ghost  of  its  owner.  But  no!  there  was  no  mistaking 
the  moan  of  suffering  humanity.  The  cold  wind  was 
chilling  his  thin  blood,  and  racking  his  joints  with  pain. 
Administering  some  temporary  relief,  which  made  the 
old  man  smile  like  a grinning  figure  of  Death,  and 
passing  on  to  a tomb  where  I could  hear  sounds  of 
mirth,  I found  four  inmates  inside,  the  members  of  a 
firm  of  beggars.  I visited  them  again  next  morning, 
and  came  upon  the  group  at  breakfast.  The  head- 
man— a lusty,  lazy,  half-naked  lout — was  standing  in 
front  of  the  entrance  enjoying  a post-prandial  pipe, 
and  he  offered  me  a smoke  with  the  air  of  a Chinese 
gentleman.  After  this  he  invited  me  in  to  inspect  the 
interior,  where  his  partners  were  busily  engrossed  with 
chopsticks  and  bowls  of  reeking  scraps  collected  on 
the  previous  day.  They  were  chatting  noisily,  too, 
forgetful  of  their  cares,  and  of  the  coffins  that  sur- 
rounded them.  One,  the  jester  of  the  party,  was 
seated  astride  a coffin,  cracking  his  jokes  over  the  skull 
of  its  occupant.  The  repast  concluded,  they  had  to 
adjust  their  counterfeits  of  disease  and  deformity,  and 
to  map  out  their  pilgrimage  for  the  day.  One  of  the 
fellows  made  a good  thing  of  it  by  acting  the  religious 
devotee,  and  driving  an  axe  into  his  skull ; another 
carried  on  a brisk  trade  in  a loathsome  skin  disease  ; 
while  a third  was  daily  lame  from  birth  ; thus,  with 
ingenuity  that  might  have  earned  them  more  honest 


THE  MA-QUI.  363 

livelihoods,  even  in  a land  where  it  is  difficult  for  the 
poor,  however  industrious,  to  subsist  at  all,  they  sup- 
ported a miserable  existence  by  artful  dodges  and  im- 
posture. The  coffins,  sprinkled  with  a little  straw  and 
rubbish,  formed  their  seats  and  beds. 

While  at  Foochow,  after  visiting  the  beggars,  I 
thought  I might  as  well  see  what  the  detectives  are 
like.  These  men  are  commonly  known  as  the  ‘ Ma- 
qui  ’ or  ‘ Swift  as  horses,’  and  are  attached  to  the 
yamcns  of  the  local  authorities,  receiving  a small 
stipend  out  of  the  Government  supplies,  but  obtaining 
the  bulk  of  their  earnings  from  persons  who  seek  to 
recover  stolen  goods,  or  even  from  the  thieves  them- 
selves. 

The  Ma-qui  is  supposed  to  know  personally  all  the 
professional  robbers  of  his  district ; and  one  wishing  to 
recover  his  property  from  the  thieves  must  make  a 
liberal  offer  to  the  Ma-qui,  at  least  one  half  the  value  of 
the  articles  lost  : failing  this,  it  is  probable  that  he  will 
never  hear  of  his  goods  again,  unless  indeed  direct 
and  secret  communication  can  be  opened  with  the 
thief  himself,  who,  as  he  will  not  in  that  case  have  to 
share  his  gains  with  the  detective,  can  afford  to  take  a 
smaller  profit  on  his  labour.  But  transactions  of  this 
kind  are  generally  effected  through  the  Ma-qui,  who 
simply  acts  as  a broker,  and  takes  his  percentage  from 
both  sides.  Should  the  thieves  refuse  to  yield  up  the 
property  at  the  price  he  offers,  they  run  the  risk  of 
being  imprisoned  and  tortured.  I photographed  a 
thief  who  had  just  escaped  from  gaol  ; he  had  been  an 
unprofitable  burglar,  a bad  constituent  of  the  Ma-qui, 
and  was  accordingly  triced  up  by  the  thumbs  until  the 
cords  had  worn  the  flesh  away  and  left  nothing  but  the 


364  INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

bare  bones  exposed.  It  was  told  of  this  detective, 
who  might  more  appropriately  be  called  the  chief  of 
the  thieves,  that  he,  one  day,  fell  in  with  an  old  thief 
whom  he  had  known  and  profited  by  in  former  times, 
but  who  was  now  respectably  clad,  and  striving  to  lead 
an  honest  life.  He  at  once  had  the  man  conveyed  to 
prison,  and  there,  in  order  to  impress  upon  him  the 
danger  to  which  he  exposed  himself  in  falling  into 


AN  UNFORTUNATE  THIEF. —PUNISHMENT  OF  THE  CANGUE. 


honest  ways,  suspended  him  by  the  thumbs,  stripped 
off  his  clothes,  and  discharged  him  with  one  arm  put 
out  of  joint.  When  a thief  is  not  in  the  profession, 
and  cannot  be  discovered,  the  Ma-qui  is  liable  to  be 
whipped.  He  then  whips  his  subordinates,  and  they  in 
turn  whip  the  thieves.  Should  this  plan  fail,  it  is 
reported  that  the  police  have  been  whipped,  and  that 
the  stolen  property  cannot  be  found. 


A LEPER  VILLAGE. 


365 


A word  about  leprosy,  and  the  leper  villages  of 
the  Chinese.  This  disease — not  an  uncommon  one  in 
China — may  be  seen  in  a variety  of  its  loathsome  forms 
in  the  public  streets  of  almost  every  city,  including 
our  own  colony  at  Hongkong ; and  at  the  latter 


FOOCHOW  LEPERS. 


place,  in  the  early  morning,  I have  passed  a dozen 
lepers  together,  begging  in  the  open  thoroughfares  for 
bread.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that,  by  this  time,  such  poor 
outcasts  from  society  "have  been  provided  with  some 

asylum  wherein  to  hide  the  visible  death  that  is  rapidly 

27 


366 


IND  0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


eating  up  their  frames.  In  Penang,  too,  there  was 
formerly  a spot  where  the  lepers  loved  to  congregate, 
on  a patch  of  green  turf  beneath  a wide-spreading 
green  tree  ; and  in  the  very  same  place,  when  the  lepers 
were  absent,  I have  seen  native  nurses  and  European 
children  at  play.  This  disease  however  is  held  not  to 
be  infectious  by  many  Asiatics,  as  well  as  by  a number 
of  European  physicians  who  have  had  to  prescribe  for 
sufferers ; and,  for  my  own  part,  I am  inclined  to  adopt 
their  view.  It  has  also  been  proved  that  the  malady, 
although  to  a certain  extent  hereditary,  will  at  last  die 
out  of  a family.  Thus  in  the  Canton  leper  village 
th^re  are  direct  descendants  of  lepers,  now  alive,  who 
are  entirely  free  from  the  disease ; and  in  the  leper 
settlement  at  Foochow  I was  informed  that  the  inhabi- 
tants were  permitted  to  marry,  and  rear  families  ; and 
the  statement  was  evidently  true,  for  we  found  there 
many  parents  surrounded  by  healthy  children,  some  of 
whom,  though  they  had  reached  maturity,  were  still 
free  from  the  fearful  blight  that  had  fallen  on  the 
wretched  community  around.  • 

The  village  to  which  I allude  is  a walled  enclosure, 
standing  about  a mile  beyond  the  east  gate  of  the  city  ; 
and  on  February  25,  1871,  I set  out  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Mahood,  to  pay  a visit  to  this  asylum.  It  was  now 
about  four  in  the  afternoon  ; a drizzling  rain  had 
already  set  in,  and  a sudden  darkness  overcast  the 
heavens  as  we  entered  the  gate  of  the  village.  The 
dreariness  of  the  weather,  and  the  gloominess  of  the 
gathering  clouds  overhead,  intensified  the  wretchedness 
of  the  scene  ; and  we  were  soon  surrounded  by  a crowd 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  some  too  loathsome  to 
bear  description,  and  all  clamouring  for  alms  to  buy 


FOOCHOW  CITY. 


367 


food  to  sustain  their  miserable  lives ; nor  did  their  im- 
portunity cease  until  the  governor  of  the  place,  himself 
a leper,  came  out  to  keep  his  subjects  in  order. 

It  would  appear  that  the  original  idea  of  the  institu- 
tion had  been  lost  sight  of,  and  that  it  is  now  made  as 
much  the  means  of  extorting  money  from  wealthy 
lepers  as  of  conferring  a boon  upon  the  community  by 
keeping  the  leprous  shut  up,  and  cut  off  from  contact 
with  the  outer  world.  The  poor  among  them,  who  are 
unable  to  pay  for  their  own  maintenance,  are  allowed  a 
nominal  annual  sum  by  government,  sufficient  to  sup- 
port them  probably  one  month  out  of  twelve,  and  for 
the  rest  they  are  daily  sent  adrift  into  the  public  high- 
ways, and  I believe,  as  in  the  case  of  ordinary  beggars, 
certain  shops  and  streets  may  unite  together  and  pur- 
chase freedom  from  their  most  objectionable  visits. 
This  little  settlement  numbered  something  over  300 
souls,  and  had  once  contained  a theatre  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  its  inhabitants,  but  that  edifice  had  long  fallen 
into  decay.  The  streets,  however,  looked  wonderfully 
clean,  and  the  houses,  many  of  them,  partook  of  the 
same  charm.  The  inmates  not  unfrequently  were 
engaged  in  occupations  of  divers  kinds,  but  the  bulk  of 
the  population  were  quite  unable  to  work,  as  their 
fingers  were  either  partly  or  entirely  gone.  The  most 
surprising  feature  in  the  whole  village  was  the  wonder- 
fully cheerful  aspect  of  a considerable  portion  of  its 
occupants  ; who,  though  cut  off  in  a great  measure 
from  social  intercourse  with  the  outside  world,  yet 
manifested  a tender  and  grateful  attachment  to  the 
flowers  which  they  reared  with  constant  care  round  the 
doors  and  windows  of  their  cabins — flowers  which 
blossomed  in  return  with  ungrudged  beauty  and  sweet- 


368 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ness,  breathing  their  simple  perfume  as  lavishly  in 
these  sepulchres  of  the  living,  as  in  the  proud  gardens  of 
the  rich. 

The  streets  of  Foochow  are  so  similar  to  the  streets 
of  all  the  other  cities  of  Southern  China  as  to  require 
no  description  here.  Foochow,  too,  has  its  parade- 
grounds,  its  yamens,  its  temples,  and  its  pagodas ; all 
of  great  importance  to  the  citizens  themselves,  and  of 
comparatively  little  interest  to  the  stranger  from  out- 
side ; unless  to  one  who  wishes  to  make  himself 
acquainted  with  an  endless  variety  of  dry  details  as  to 
religion,  Feng-shui,  or  local  jurisdiction  ; none  of  which 
subjects  could  possibly  be  digested  into  a volume  of 
such  dimensions  as  mine.  I will  therefore  only  remark, 
as  I quit  the  town,  that  the  visitor  must  not  fail  to 
observe  the  oysters — oysters  which  are  not  only  very 
good,  but  very  remarkable,  too,  in  their  way.  It  may 
be  said  that  a bamboo  rod  is  not  the  1 native  climb  ’ of 
that  highly-prized  shell-fish ; and  yet,  in  the  main 
thoroughfares  at  Foochow,  one  finds  an  endless  array 
of  fish-stalls,  where  oysters  are  served  out  to  passing 
customers  ; and  these  oysters  are  grown  in  clusters  on 
bamboo  rods,  stuck  into  the  beds  at  the  proper  season, 
pulled  up  again  when  mature,  and  brought  in  this 
fashion  to  market.  The  Foochow  oyster-shells,  unlike 
our  own,  which  are  of  nearly  uniform  mould,  follow  no 
law  in  this  respect  ; but  each  oyster  shapes  its  dwelling 
to  suit  its  own  tastes  or  requirements  : thus  the  jagged 
and  irregular  bamboo  clusters  have  no  two  shells  alike. 

There  are  a number  of  trades  which  are  peculiar  to 
this  city,  and  among  the  most  interesting  is  that  of 
the  lamp-maker.  One  lamp,  of  a very  pretty  though 
rather  fragile  kind,  is  made  up  of  thin  rods  of  glass  set 
so  closely  together  as  almost  to  imitate  basket-work. 


YUAN-FU  MONASTERY. 


369 


The  light  shines  through  these  rods  with  a very  effec- 
tive lustre  ; and  though  no  lamps  of  the  sort,  so  far  as 
I know,  have  yet  been  introduced  into  this  country, 
they  would  form  very  attractive  novelties  at  a garden 
fete. 

There  are  many  charming  resorts  in  the  vicinity  of 
Foochow,  but  to  my  mind  ‘ Fang-Kuang-Yen-tien- 
chiian,’  better  known  as  the  * Yuan-fu  ’ monastery,  is 
the  most  fascinating  of  them  all.  It  was  my  good 
fortune  to  visit  that  retreat  as  the  guest  of  a foreign 
merchant  who  made  up  a party  for  a cruise  on  the 
Yuan-fu  branch  of  the  river  Min.  Two  private  yachts 
were  manned  and  fitted  for  the  trip  ; and  in  these,  at 
midnight,  we  started  from  Foochow.  The  tide  was  on 
the  ebb,  and  when  we  awoke  next  morning  we  found 
ourselves  at  anchor,  with  Pagoda  Island  still  in 
view. 

Intense  cold,  with  drifting  sleet,  made  the  prospect 
ahead  unpromising.  The  bold  mountains,  known  to 
the  natives  as  the  * Wu-hu  ’ or  ‘ five  tiger  ’ range,  were 
wrapped  in  a thin  veil  of  now  gradually-lifting  mist  ; 
but  it  was  nearly  mid-day  before  the  last  shred  of 
vapour  had  withdrawn  from  the  rugged  overhanging 
crag  which  has  been  called  the  ‘ Lover’s  Leap.’ 
Those  five  tigers  are  supposed  to  exercise  some  geo- 
mantic  influences  on  Foochow  city,  which  lies  to  the 
north  of  the  range ; and,  in  order  to  counteract  this 
effect,  a corresponding  number  of  stone  lions  have  been 
erected,  and  may  yet  be  encountered,  in  one  of  the  main 
streets  of  the  town. 

The  mountains  rise  to  a considerable  altitude  about 
this  part  of  the  river,  and  terminate  in  bold  rocky  cliffs ; 
but  beneath,  wherever  an  available  patch  of  soil  is  to 


37° 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


be  found,  it  has  been  terraced  and  cultivated  up  to  the 
very  face  of  the  rocks.  A walk  along  the  bank,  or  a 
climb  among  the  crags,  is  amply  repaid  by  a thousand 
charming  details  of  form  and  colour.  There  are  ferns 
and  flowers  in  multitudes  ; stately  pines,  and  beetling 
precipices  over  which  clustering  bamboos  wave  their 
graceful  plumes.  Here  a quaint  rock,  gray-headed 
with  lichen,  and  bearded  with  ferns,  looks  like  some 
giant  reclining  on  the  mossy  bank  ; and  there  is  a bank 
of  turf,  more  rich  than  any  cloak  of  velvet  that  I ever 
saw,  and  embroidered  with  a thousand  gay  wild  flowers. 
In  that  dell  yonder  a slight  effort  of  fancy,  and  a few 
glancing  fire-flies,  might  introduce  us  to  some  fairy 
revel.  It  is  a dim  retreat,  shaded  by  an  archway  of 
ferns.  An  old  branch  spans  a fissure  in  the  rock,  and 
there  imagination  plants  some  grim-faced  goblin,  blowing 
music  from  his  elfin  horn  on  a summer’s  eve  for  a 
thousand  dainty  figures  that  dance  upon  the  floor 
below.  But  the  place  felt  damp  and  disagreeable, 
although  it  presented  a pleasant  scene. 

Two  days  were  thus  spent  amid  a ceaseless  diver- 
sity of  grand  river  and  mountain  scenery ; and  on  the 
third  morning,  at  a short  distance  above  the  first  rapid, 
we  landed  to  make  the  journey  to  Yuan-fu  monastery. 
My  friends  had  brought  their  sedans  and  bearers  with 
them  ; as  for  me,  I hired  one  at  the  nearest  village  ; 
my  dog,  as  was  his  custom,  at  once  scrambling  inside, 
and  stowing  himself  comfortably  beneath  the  seat.  The 
chair,  being  intended  for  mountain  use,  was  small,  so 
that  I had  to  sit  in  a cramped  and  awkward  posture. 
When  ascending  steep  parts  of  the  path  the  bearers 
purposely  made  the  swinging  motion  so  irksome  that  I 
had  to  get  out  and  threaten  to  send  them  back,  inform- 


THE  ASCENT. 


37i 


ing  them  further  that,  as  I had  no  intention  of  staying 
outside  and  walking,  they  might  as  well  stop  their 
jolting  and  earn  their  hire. 

This  is  an  old  dodge  of  the  chair  coolies.  In  all 
mountainous  regions  they  pretend,  as  they  climb  some 
steep  place,  that  the  jolting  cannot  be  avoided  ; but  my 
threat  had  the  desired  effect  of  rendering  the  ascent 
easy  as  far  as  the  chair  could  be  used.  At  one  spot 
there  is  a flight  of  400  steps  (I  had  the  curiosity  to 
count  them  as  our  progress  was  slow),  and  this  brought 
us  to  the  entrance  of  the  ravine  overlooked  by 
the  monastery,  which  was  also  perhaps  the  most 
romantic  bit  of  scenery  to  be  encountered  there.  Above 
these  steps  the  path  winds  beneath  a forest,  and  around 
a rich  undergrowth  of  ferns  and  flowering  shrubs,  and 
finally  seems  suddenly  to  terminate  in  a cave.  This 
cave  in  reality  forms  the  passage  through  which  the 
dell  is  approached.  A small  idol  stood  at  the  foot  of 
the  rocks,  on  the  right  of  the  entrance,  and  there  was 
incense  burning  before  its  shrine. 

On  the  stone  walls  of  the  natural  tunnel,  and  on 
every  striking  rock,  there  were  also  a number  of  ancient 
incised  inscriptions,  out  of  which  the  following  may  be 
selected  as  a fair  specimen  of  the  whole  : * The  scenery  at 
this  place  is  equal  to  that  where  the  genii  dwell.’  Other 
inscriptions  are  nothing  more  than  the  names  of  pious 
visitors  to  the  temple  above.  Passing  through  beneath 
the  rock,  which  here  rises  in  a gigantic  precipice  on 
the  hill-side,  we  emerged  from  the  darkness  of  the 
tortuous  passage  into,  what  looked  like,  a tropical  dell 
of  palms,  and  seemed,  in  a few  steps,  to  have  passed 
from  a temperate  latitude  into  some  southern  clime. 
But  the  broad  leaves  that  spanned  the  ravine  were 


372 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


nothing  more  than  huge  ferns.  Bending  back,  and 
looking  upwards  through  the  foliage  to  catch  a glimpse 
of  the  sky,  I could  see  nothing  save  the  bright  colours 
of  a curious  building  standing  out  against  a dark  cavern 
which  overhung  the  ravine.  As  we  ascended  a narrow 
path  cut  in  the  face  of  the  rocks,  we  obtained  a full 
view  of  the  monastery,  perched  upon  a huge  boulder 
above  our  heads,  and  overshadowed  by  a grove  of 
stalactites  which  hung  down  like  pointed  ornaments 
from  the  vaults  of  some  cathedral  roof.  Never  had  I 
seen,  nor  ever  dreamt  of  seeing,  any  edifice  so  strange 
as  this.  There  it  stood,  with  its  broad  eaves,  carved 
roofs,  and  ornamental  balustrades,  propped  up  on  the 
face  of  a precipice  200  feet  in  height,  and  resting  above 
this  awful  abyss,  on  nothing  more  durable  than  a slender- 
looking  framework  of  wooden  beams. 

The  outer  edge  of  the  limestone  dome  was  fringed 
with  drooping  plants  that  stood  out  in  bright  patches 
of  sunlight  against  the  gloom  of  the  cavern  beneath. 
I remained  in  this  monastery  for  some  days,  while  my 
friends  returned  at  once  to  Foochow.  There  were 
only  three  monks  in  residence  here  ; one  a mere  boy 
full  of  fun,  the  second  an  able-bodied  youth,  and  lastly, 
the  abbot,  who  was  old,  infirm,  and  blind.  I was  ac- 
commodated with  an  apartment  commanding  a good 
view  of  the  valley  far  beneath,  and  built  out  of  thin 
pine  planks,  plastered  over  with  lime.  Inside  this 
chamber  were  a pine  table,  a pine  chair,  and  a pine  bed, 
and  on  the  latter  the  same  unyielding  wooden  pillow 
which  forms  its  usual  cheap,  and  durable,  appurtenance. 
As  for  the  bedstead  itself,  it  was  a kind  of  square  cho- 
colate-coloured well  of  wood;  and  in  this  unluxurious  con- 
trivance I had  to  pass  the  nights,  which  here  were  ex- 


BUDDHIST  RITES. 


373 


treinely  cold.  My  coolies  slept  in  the  apartment 
beneath,  packed  together  like  sardines,  to  keep  them- 
selves warm.  Every  evening,  at  about  sunset,  my 
friends,  dressed  in  their  yellow  canonicals,  went  up  into 
the  temple  to  pray.  One  knelt  to  the  right,  the  other 
to  the  left,  of  a small  altar,  and  the  third  took  up  his 
place  between  the  two  ; and  then  they  serenaded  their 
gods,  to  the  monotonous  accompaniment  of  the  usual 
Buddhist  instruments.  The  fervour  of  a long-winded 
prayer  was  much  impaired  in  my  eyes  when  I found 
that  it  was  meaningless  mummer)’ to  the  young  devotee 
who  chanted  it.  After  a time  the  latter  got  up  and 
exercised  himself,  by  striking  a huge  bell  with  a wooden 
mallet.  Not  content  with  this,  he  next  attacked  a 
monstrous  but  unoffending  drum  with  equal  vigour, 
saying  some  hard  things  about  it  under  his  breath  the 
while  ; and  thus  ended  this  worship,  the  old  monk 
striding  out  again  into  the  court,  and  looking  to  me 
blinder  than  he  could  ever  have  known  himself  to  be. 

At  dawn  I was  awoke  by  the  repetition  of  the  same 
noisy  rites.  The  mornings  were  dark  and  chilly,  and 
the  opposite  mountains  looked  like  a mammoth  figure, 
asleep  in  a very  damp  place,  the  heavy  fleecy  clouds 
resembling  a covering  that  left  half  the  recumbent 
body  exposed.  The  black  pines  nodded  and  creaked 
dismally,  and  the  bamboos  bent  till  I thought  they 
would  break,  in  the  blast  that  swept  the  valley.' 

On  one  of  the  altars  I saw  an  image  known  as 
the  ‘ Laughing  Buddha,’  the  god  of  longevity  ; and 
before  this  jovial-looking  idol,  a sort  of  joss-stick  time- 
piece had  been  set  up.  This  time-piece  consists  of  a 
series  of  thin  fire-sticks,  placed  parallel  to  each  other, 
over  a flat  clay  bed  contained  in  a box  of  bronze. 


374 


JNDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Each  stick  will  burn  for  twelve  hours,  and  a fresh  one 
is  ignited  when  the  one  already  burning  is  about  to 
expire.  Thus  the  time  of  day,  or  night,  might  be  as- 
certained at  a glance.  This  fire,  like  the  vestal  fires 
of  Rome,  so  the  old  monk  assured  me,  had  been 
smouldering  uninterruptedly  for  untold  years  before  he 
came  to  the  place. 

‘ Ku-Shan,’  or  ‘ Drum  Mountain,’  stands  about  seven 
miles  below  Foochow,  and  forms  part  of  a range  that 
there  rises  abruptly  out  of  the  level  cultivated  plain. 
The  mountain  enjoys  a wide  celebrity,  as  the  great 
‘ Ku-Shan  ’ monastery  is  built  in  a valley  near  its 
summit,  on  a site  said  in  ancient  times  to  have  been 
the  haunt  of  poisonous  snakes  or  dragons,  able  to  dif- 
fuse pestilence,  raise  up  storms,  or  blight  the  harvest 
crops. 

One  Ling-chiau,  a sage,  was  entreated  to  put  a stop 
to  these  ravages  ; so  the  good  man,  repairing  to  the 
pool  in  which  the  evil  serpents  dwelt,  recited  a ritual 
called  the  Hua-yen  treatise,  before  which,  like  wise 
serpents,  they  took  instant  flight.  It  must  indeed  have 
been  a powerful  composition,  for  not  even  deadly  snakes 
would  risk  a second  recital ; and  the  Emperor,  hearing 
of  the  miracle,  erected  the  Hua-yen  monastery  on  the 
spot  in  the  year  784. 

The  establishment,  though  repeatedly  destroyed, 
has  been  constantly  rebuilt  on  its  original  foundations, 
receiving  considerable  additions  from  time  to  time, 
until  at  the  present  day  it  accommodates  200  monks. 

The  ascent  from  the  plain  is  a steep  and  tedious 
one,  but  many  picturesque  views  of  the  surrounding 
country  are  to  be  obtained  en  rotite,  and  we  reach  the 
monastery  itself  at  length,  through  a grove  of  ancient 
pine-trees,  2,500  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 


KUSH  AN. 


375 


The  entire  establishment  covers  a large  area,  re- 
sembling, in  this  respect,  the  great  Lamasary  at  Peking, 
and  forming  indeed  by  far  the  most  prosperous  and 
extensive  Buddhist  monastery  I have  seen  in  the 
south  of  China.  Inside  the  main  entrance  sit  four 
colossal  images  of  the  protectors  of  the  Buddhist  faith. 


TWO  OF  THE  GUARDIANS  OF  BUDDHA-  KU-SHAN  MONASTERY. 


and  two  of  these  the  reader  may  see  reproduced  in  the 
accompanying  illustration.  Ku-Shan  monastery,  like  al- 
most all  such  edifices  in  China,  is  made  up  of  three 
great  detached  buildings,  set  one  behind  the  other,  in  a 
spacious  paved  courtyard;  and,  opening  inwards  from 


376 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  walls  which  surround  this  enclosure,  we  may 
see  the  apartments  of  the  monks.  At  this  shrine  a 
number  of  relics  of  Buddha  are  shown,  and  it  is  said 
that  they  annually  draw  crowds  of  weary  pilgrims  from 
afar.  Sacred  animals,  too,  are  maintained  in  the 
grounds  ; and  if  there  be  any  member  of  the  brute 
creation  that  has  shown  more  than  usual  instinct,  it 
will  find  a welcome  reception  here.  At  the  time  of  my 
visit  to  the  place  the  most  interesting  of  the  sacred 
creatures  was  a praying  bull.  This  bull,  so  the  story 
goes,  was  being  one  day  conveyed  by  its  owner  to  the 
slaughter-house,  when,  bursting  its  bonds,  it  rushed  off 
down  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  never  drew  breath 
till  it  reached  the  Governor- General’s  yamen,  at  the 
moment  when  his  Excellency  was  stepping  into  his 
sedan.  Then,  falling  on  its  knees  before  the  represen- 
tative of  the  Imperial  throne,  this  long-horned  suppliant 
was  heard  to  utter  a short  prayer  for  mercy.  The 
governor,  mute  with  amazement,  could  only  motion  to 
his  retainers  to  remove  the  animal,  and  they  forthwith 
conveyed  it  to  the  monastery,  where  it  has  ever  since 
luxuriated  in  a sort  of  bovine  paradise,  with  no  Damo- 
clean  pole-axe  to  dread.  A story  afterwards  got  abroad 
that  this  venerated  bull,  when  it  charged  the  Governor’s 
yamen,  had  really  been  tripped  up  by  the  steps  there, 
but  this  can  be  nothing  more  than  a scandalous  inven- 
tion got  up  by  the  impious,  and  we  only  notice  the 
report  to  condemn  it. 

The  ‘ Three  Holy  Ones,’  the  chief  images  of  every 
Buddhist  temple,  were  here  as  conspicuous  as  usual  in 
the  central  shrine ; each  figure  being  in  this  instance 
more  than  thirty  feet  in  height,  and  rising  up  behind 


THE  HERMIT 


377 


the  customary  altar  bespread  with  candelabra  and 
votive  offerings  of  various  sorts. 

I remained  three  days  in  this  place,  and  occupied 
some  of  my  leisure  in  visiting  the  rooms  of  the  priests, 
one  among  them  more  frequently  than  the  rest. 


THE  KU-SHAN  HERMIT. 


Having  mounted  the  ladder  by  which  access  to  this 
chamber  was  to  be  gained,  we  entered  a bare  apartment, 
lit  by  a small  window  above,  and  furnished  with  a deal 
table  and  a chair.  Within  I was  always  certain  to 
discover  some  member  of  the  order,  improving  himself 


37« 


IND0-CH1NA  AND  CHINA. 


by  sitting,  like  an  image,  meditating  on  the  precepts  of 
his  sect,  and  at  long  intervals  tolling  a bell  suspended 
in  a tower  above. 

Then  again,  away  some  distance  from  the  central 
temple,  in  one  of  the  many  beautiful  avenues  on  the 
mountain-side,  was  a water-bell,  that  could  be  heard 
tolling  there,  night  and  day;  and  just  below  the  little 
shrine  to  which  this  bell  was  consecrated,  a deep  dark 
glen  wound  its  way  beneath  the  thick  shade  of  a wood, 
and  between  rocky  precipices  that  walled  it  in  on  either 
side.  Against  the  foot  of  one  of  these  rocks  a small 
hut  had  been  constructed.  One  day  I ventured  within 
it,  and  found  a Buddhist  image  set  up  on  a stony  ledge 
inside.  I was  thinking  it  was  about  the  finest  thing 
of  the  sort  I had  seen  for  some  time,  when  the  head 
moved  forward,  the  limbs  unbent,  and  the  idol  de- 
scended from  its  perch — ‘ Verus  incessu  patuit  Deus  ’ ?. 
No,  I can  hardly  venture  to  affirm  so  much  of  this 
bald-headed,  yellow-robed  god. 

‘ Tsing,  tsing,  sir,  good  morning;  Avhat  side  you 
come  ? ’ was  his  greeting  as  he  lighted  on  the  ground. 
Less  awe-stricken  than  might  perhaps  have  been  ex- 
pected, I returned  the  enquiry,  and  asked  : ‘ What  side 
yoic  come  ? ’ to  which  his  response  was  quickly  vouch- 
safed : ‘ Long  time  my  got  this  side.’  This,  then,  was 
the  hermit,  of  whom  report  had  said  so  much.  It 
turned  out  that  he  had  been  an  Amoy  trader,  and  after 
years  of  strife  with  the  world,  had  come  to  end  his 
days,  and  repent  of  his  sins,  within  this  mossy  dell. 
At  the  water-bell  shrine  there  was  a most  unholy  and 
very  tall  raw-boned  priest,  who,  after  we  had  inspected 
the  miraculous  water-wheel,  and  listened  to  the  dreary 
tone?  of  the  bell,  followed  us  everywhere  up  and  down, 


THE  ISLAND  TEMPLE. 


379 


demanding  a present  which  his  displeasing  pertinacity 
determined  us  to  withhold.  Buddhists  do  not  take  life, 
otherwise  this  cadaverous-looking  fellow  who  pestered 
us  for  money  would  gladly  have  sacrificed  mine. 

Among  the  other  temples  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Foochow  one  of  the  most  striking  is  ‘ 1 he  Island 
Temple,’  which  covers  the  entire  surface  of  a small 
islet  about  eight  miles  from  the  city.  This  shrine  is 
dedicated  to  the  ‘ Queen  of  Heaven,’  a deity  worshipped 


THE  ISLAND  TEMPLE,  RIVER  MIN. 


by  the  boating  population  on  the  river  Min.  A ban- 
van-tree  grows  upon  the  islet,  so  as  partly  to  shade  the 
shrine  ; and  it  is  supposed  that  the  shrub  depends 
solely  for  its  nourishment  upon  the  bounty  of  the  god- 
dess, for  its  roots  are  rivetted  to  all  appearance  in  the 
solid  stone. 

1'he  nearest  tea-plantations,  in  this  province,  are  in 
the  Paeling  Hills,  about  fifteen  miles  north  of  Foochow 
These  I visited  in  company  as  the  guest  of  two  of  my 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


380 

Foochow  friends.  We  put  up  at  a small  temple  on 
one  of  the  farms,  and  made  a three  days’  stay  in  the 
locality.  Here  some  foreigners,  who  had  visited  the 
district  before  us,  had  imparted  a very  limited  and  con- 
fused acquaintance  with  the  English  tongue  to  the 
priest  who  presided  at  the  shrine.  It  therefore  startled 
us,  when  we  approached  the  edifice,  to  be  met  by  this 
ragged  follower  of  Buddha,  evidently  proud  to  parade 
his  knowledge  of  our  language,  with  the  salutation  : 
‘ Good  morning,  can  do  ! you  bet ! ’ Can  do  what,  we 
enquired  ; but  alas  ! our  friend’s  vocabulary  was  limited 
to  this  single  phrase.  He  said  he  had  forgotten  all 
the  rest,  and  perhaps  he  had  no  great  need  to  bemoan 
his  loss. 

The  clouds  lay  like  a wet  blanket  on  the  hills 
throughout  the  whole  of  our  stay.  It  was  in  vain  each 
morning  that  we  looked  for  a gleam  of  sunshine,  as  we 
watched  the  vapour  lifting  before  the  wind,  and  then 
falling  into  its  old  position  once  more.  Nevertheless, 
we  inspected  the  farms  as  well  as  the  fog  and  rain 
would  allow,  and  noticed  the  curious  effects  of  the  mist 
as  it  lay  in  pools  in  the  valleys,  or  parted  in  fleecy 
windows,  through  which  glimpses  of  the  bright  sunny 
plain  and  the  villages  far  below  might  be  descried. 
And  yet  at  other  times,  as  we  looked  back  along 
the  steep  path,  we  could  but  just  make  out  the 
heads  and  shoulders  of  our  coolies,  toiling  through  a 
wreath  of  cloud  that  wrapped  their  feet  in  mist,  and 
struggling  onward  with  their  burdens  up  hill. 

One  of  the  plantations  in  these  Paeling  Hills  was 
said  to  belong  to  a Cantonese  comprador,  employed 
in  a foreign  Hong.  It  was  of  considerable  extent — a 
rare  feature  in  these  tea-growing  regions,  where  the 


PAELING  HILLS. 


33. 

cultivation  of  the  shrub  is  carried  on  piecemeal,  after 
some  such  method  as  follows.  The  farms  are  usually 
small,  seldom  exceeding  a few  acres  in  size,  and  are 
rented  by  the  poor  from  the  landowners  of  the  district. 
To  these  landowners  the  tenants  undertake  to  dispose 
of  their  crops  at  a certain  stipulated  price.  Thus  the 
men  who  stow  that  tea  which  is  a source  of  so  much 
wealth  to  China  very  rarely  possess  any  capital  at  all 
themselves;  and,  like  millions  of  their  labouring  fellow- 
countrymen,  they  can  earn  but  a hard-won  sustenance 
out  of  the  luxury  which  they  thus  produce.  Those 
farmers  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  be  able  to  rent  their 
land  without  first  mortgaging  the  crops  are  esteemed 
men  of  affluence.  At  the  proper  season — that  is, 
usually  in  the  beginning  of  April — the  first  picking  of 
the  leaves  takes  place.  These  leaves,  when  gathered, 
are  dried  partially  in  the  sun,  and  then  offered  for  sale 
in  baskets,  at  a kind  of  fair,  at  which  all  the  neighbour- 
hood attends.  The  native  buyers  from  the  foreign 
ports — usually  Cantonese — here  enter  upon  a keen 
competition,  and  buy  up  as  much  as  they  can  of  the 
leaf.  In  the  end  the  lots  bought,  from  a variety  of 
these  small  farms,  are  mixed  together  by  the  purchaser, 
and  then  subjected  to  the  firing  already  described,  up- 
country,  in  houses  hired  specially  for  that  purpose. 

Thousands  of  poor  women  and  children  are  next 
employed  in  picking  out  stems  and  stalks ; after  which 
the  leaves  are  winnowed,  the  cured  portion  is  carried 
away,  and  the  uncured  left  behind  to  be  subjected 
again  to  the  fire.  When  the  firing  process  is  com- 
pleted, the  tea  is  sifted,  and  separated  into  two  or  three 
different  parcels,  or  ‘ chops  ’ as  they  are  called,  the 
quality  of  each  parcel  varying  with  the  quantity  pre- 

28 


3*>2 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


pared  at  a time.  Thus  the  first  and  highest  ‘ chops  ’ 
consist  of  the  smallest  and  best-twisted  leaves ; the 
second  is  somewhat  inferior ; while  the  third  is  made 
of  the  stalks,  dust,  and  siftings.  This  last,  which  is 
perfectly  innocuous  and  wholesome,  is  used  in  this 
country  to  mix  with  the  better  sorts  of  teas,  and  thus 
to  produce  the  cheap  good  teas  of  commerce. 

These  parcels  or  chops  are  next  packed  into  chests 
of  about  90  lbs.,  half-chests  of  40  or  45  lbs.,  and  boxes 
of  21  lbs.,  lined  each  of  them  with  lead,  and  thus  for- 
warded to  the  open  ports  for  sale.  Most  of  the  Bohea 
teas  are  brought  down  to  Foochow  by  the  river  Min 
— a voyage,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  requiring  no 
ordinary  nerve  and  skill.  The  cargoes,  as  a rule,  begin 
to  arrive  at  about  the  end  of  April ; but  at  the  time  I 
speak  of  (1871)  the  market,  for  two  or  three  seasons 
past,  had  not  been  opened  till  some  time  in  June.  The 
year  before,  the  mandarins  gave  native  dealers  credit 
for  the  duties  on  the  leaf,  and  thus  aided  them  to  hold 
back  their  teas  until  scarcity  should  force  the  market 
into  rates  highly  favourable  to  China.  The  Europeans 
do  not  seem  to  succeed  in  banding  together  like  the 
Chinese  to  secure  the  tea  crop  on  profitable  terms. 
The  probable  advantage  to  be  gained  by  being  first  in 
the  field  presents  a temptation  too  great  for  the  im- 
petuous foreign  merchant  to  resist.  But  although  the 
Chinese  sellers  enjoy  many  facilities,  such  as  borrowing 
money  from  the  banks  in  Foochow  against  the  chops 
which  they  hold,  they  have  to  pay  high  rates  of  in- 
terest, and  the  up-country  competition  among  them- 
selves, too,  is  strong ; so  that  they  are  not  unfamiliar 
with  losses — and  heavy  ones,  too,  sometimes.  On  the 
whole,  however,  by  dint  of  caution  and  commercial 


ASCENDING  THE  MIN. 


383 


combination,  they  have  made  their  trade  steadily  remu- 
nerative and  sure — a fact  which  may  readily  be 
gathered  from  the  great  wealth  of  the  Chinese  tea 
merchants,  both  at  Foochow  and  elsewhere 

But  let  us  now  proceed  up-country,  and  gather  some 
notion  of  the  difficulties  which  beset  the  transit  of  this 
precious  herb.  I made  an  excursion  for  200  miles  up 
the  Min,  as  far  as  Yin-ping  city,  in  the  company  of  Mr. 
Justice  Doolittle,  whose  valuable  book  on  the  ‘ Social 
Life  of  the  Chinese  ’ is  the  result  of  years  of  painstaking 
labour  and  careful  observation  among  the  people  of 
this  district.  Armed  with  the  requisite  passports,  we 
started  for  Shui-kow,  at  mid-day  on  December  2,  in  a 
yacht  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal  by  one  of  the 
English  merchants  at  Foochow. 

Boating  on  a Chinese  river,  and  with  a Chinese 
crew,  is  always  a trying  experience  to  the  temper  of  a 
European,  except  where  the  men  have  been  bound  by 
contract  to  perform  their  work  for  a fixed  price  and 
within  a given  period  of  time.  If  this  precaution  has 
been  neglected,  the  notion  takes  possession  of  the  boat- 
men that  foreigners  are  by  nature  wealthy,  and  that  as' 
a duty  to  themselves — who  are  always,  both  by  birth 
and  by  necessity,  extremely  poor — they  must  make  the 
most  of  the  rare  opportunity  which  good  fortune  has 
cast  in  their  way.  Inspired  by  considerations  such  as 
these,  the  men  set  themselves  to  enjoy  a good  deal 
more  than  their  usual  scanty  leisure,  a good  deal  more 
food,  a longer  spell  of  the  opium-pipe,  and  deeper 
drains  out  of  the  samshu-flask.  Hence,  in  one’s  diary, 
such  jottings  as  the  following  by  no  means  unfrequently 
recur : ‘ The  men  have  been  amusing  themselves  all 
day  long  running  the  boat  on  to  sandbanks,  and  eating 


384 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


rice.’  ‘ Tracking-line  entangled  again  with  that  of 
another  boat  ; two  crews  quarrelling  for  half  an  hour, 
another  half  hour  spent  in  apologies,  and  a third  in 
disentangling  the  lines.’ 

I halted  to  take  a view  at  a place  called  1 Pak-taou  ’ 
(white-head).  Here  a poor  pedlar,  marching  along  the 
bank,  his  wares  slung  over  his  shoulder,  became  so 
engrossed  in  watching  my  operations  that  he  failed  to 
observe  two  buffaloes  coming  up  from  the  opposite 
direction.  These  buffaloes  took  fright  at  my  camera, 
charged  along  the  path,  and  sent  the  pedlar  spinning 
heels  over  head  down  the  bank.  But  he  was  a pedlar 
of  no  ordinary  mould  ; he  gathered  up  his  bundle, 
shouldered  it  once  more,  and  came  back  to  finish  his 
observations  on  the  spot  from  which  he  had  been  so 
suddenly  dislodged. 

Sunday  we  spent  quietly  at  a place  called  ‘ Teuk- 
kai,’  or  Bamboo  Crags.  Here  I had  a walk  ashore 
with  my  boy  Ahong,  and  stopped  for  awhile  to  rest  on 
a green  mossy  bank,  whence  our  boat  could  dimly  be 
made  out  through  a sheet  of  mist,  that  rose  above  the 
river,  like  the  steam  from  a cauldron’s  mouth.  This 
vapour  crept  onwards  up  the  mountain  in  a number  of 
grotesque  shapes,  here  and  there  forming  beautiful 
vignettes  out  of  the  clumps  of  giant  pines,  and  in  a 
moment  blotting  out  the  picture  again  as  it  rolled  way- 
ward ly  along  the  woody  steeps.  These  mists  were  a 
phenomena  of  daily  occurrence,  caused,  I suppose,  by 
the  difference  of  temperature  between  the  water  and 
the  air.  We  next  passed  over  a lovely  bit  of  country, 
through  olive  and  orange  plantations,  where  the  trees 
bent  down  beneath  their  fruit,  and  the  air  seemed 
laden  with  perpetual  fragrance.  In  one  orchard  we 


through  fields  of  sugar-cane  to  the  group  of  picturesque 
well-built  brick  houses  of  which  the  settlement  was 
composed.  That  portion  of  this  homestead  allotted  to 
the  proprietor’s  family  we  found  to  be  very  strongly 
walled  round,  and  near  at  hand,  in  a small  out-house, 
the  family  physician  had  his  home.  This  gentleman, 


AN  UP- CO UNTR \ FARM.  3^5 

fell  in  with  a watchman  ensconced  in  a snug  little 
straw  hut  containing  a bamboo  table,  a tea-pot,  two 
chairs,  and  a fine  cat  and  kittens.  1 he  old  man — he 
was  very  old,  he  could  not  tell  us  how  old,  but  he  had 
been  watching  the  place,  he  said,  for  more  than  halt  a 
century — showed  us  the  way  to  the  farm,  conducting  us 


A TRAVELLING  BLACKSMITH  AT  A FARM-HOUSE. 


386 


IND O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Akum  by  name  (who  was  watching  a travelling  black- 
smith at  work),  received  us  with  what  I took  to  be  a 
friendly  spirit ; but  the  expression  of  his  face  was  a 
difficulc  thing  to  interpret,  for  his  eyes  were  defective, 
and  his  otherwise  passable  nose  had  lost  both  bridge 
and  point ; hence,  while  one  eye  beamed  with  a kindly 
warmth,  the  other  kept  strict  guard  over  the  broken 
bridge.  We  entered  his  shop,  and  the  people  came 
out  to  have  a look  at  me.  Many  of  them  had  never 
set  eyes  on  a foreigner  before,  and  I was  evidently  an 
object  of  curious  interest  to  a group  of  really  pretty 
women  and  chubby  children.  The  instant  I moved 
they  all  rushed  into  the  stronghold,  and  could  there  be 
seen  peering  out  from  all  sorts  of  holes  and  corners. 
I made  the  old  man  a small  present,  and  he  gave  me 
some  fine  oranges  in  return. 

When  we  had  left  this  place,  and  had  sat  down  on 
a hill-side  to  talk  over  old  times  and  former  scenes  of 
travel,  Ahong  confessed  to  me,  among  other  matters, 
that  he  had  no  particular  religious  views  at  all.  He 
had,  at  one  time,  been  a Christian  in  Singapore,  but 
had  got  bullied  out  of  his  change  of  faith  by  his  friends. 
In  a general  way  he  thought  it  a good  thing  to  have 
plenty  of  pork  while  alive  ; then  to  be  laid  in  a com- 
fortable coffin,  and  buried  in  a dry  place;  and  hereafter 
to  have  one’s  spirit  fed  and  clothed  continuously  by 
surviving  sons.  I spoke  to  him  about  Christianity, 
and  about  the  folly  of  worshipping  idols,  when  every 
(lower  and  insect  around  told  so  plainly  of  the  great 
unseen  God,  but  I doubt  whether  I produced  much 
impression  upon  his  tough  Chinese  heart. 

Next  day  we  reached  Shui-kow,  and  found  it  built 
on  the  slopes  of  the  hills,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river. 


SHU1  K.OW 


SHUI-KOW  WATER  SUPPLY. 


387 


This  town  was  unlike  any  which  I had  seen  on  the 
plains.  There  was  something  new  in  its  piles  of 
buildings,  towering  story  above  story,  and  in  its  pic- 
turesque situations ; and  here,  too,  1 found  that  a 
water  system  had  been  elaborated  out  of  a complex 


CHINESE  PLOUGH,  FUKIEN  PROVINCE. 


series  of  bamboo  pipes  and  gutters,  which  passed  from 
house  to  house,  and  brought  constant  supplies  of 
water  from  a spring  more  than  a mile  away,  in  the 
hills. 

At  Shui  kow  I hired  a ‘rapid-boat’  to  take  us 


388 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


on  to  Yen-ping-fu.  Our  captain  was  Cheng-Show, 
or  rather  his  wife,  a lady  who  had  a great  deal 
to  say  both  for  him  and  herself  too  ; who  stood  no 
more  than  four  feet  high,  and  yet  talked  about  half  as 
much  again  as  any  other  woman  twice  her  size.  Of  a 
truth  she  was  the  wonder  of  her  sex,  the  great  female 
phenomenon  of  the  modern  Chinese  age  ! Thus,  when 
we  ascended  the  first  rapid,  there  was  Mrs.  Cheng  to 
be  seen  well  to  the  fore,  at  one  moment  nursing  her 
baby ; at  another,  the  child  had  been  tossed  into  a 
basket,  and  the  mother  was  fending  her  boat  with  a 
long  pole  from  destruction  on  the  rocks.  Then  to  her 
brat  again,  or  to  cooking,  cleaning  or  husband-baiting ; 
to  each  and  every  pursuit  she  was  found  equal,  as  fancy 
prompted  or  necessity  compelled.  Ours  was  a small 
boat,  like  all  the  others,  carrying  a high  bridge,  and  a 
rudder  in  the  shape  of  a long  oar  which  swung  on  a 
pivot  aft.  This  oar  was  nearly  as  long  as  the  boat 
itself,  and  its  effect  when  used  was  to  make  the  vessel 
turn  at  once  in  its  own  length.  The  craft  is  built 
entirely  of  pine  ; is  as  strong  as  it  is  light ; and  admir- 
ably adapted  in  every  respect  for  the  navigation  of  the 
perilous  rapids  which  begin  to  show  themselves  about 
half  a mile  above  Shui-kow.  All  these  rapids  are  full 
of  rugged  rocks,  rising  some  of  them  above  the  stream, 
and  some  lurking  more  dangerously  below.  We  anchored 
for  the  night  close  to  a military  station,  if  two  or  three 
shanties,  and  the  half-dozen  miserable  looking  soldiers 
armed  with  matchlocks  who  occupied  them,  could  be 
honoured  with  so  dignified  a name. 

Next  morning,  as  usual,  there  was  a thick  fog  upon 
the  river.  This  prevented  our  seeing  more  than  two  or 
three  feet  around  the  boat,  and  put  a stop  to  all  traffic 


A SNAKE  TEMPLE. 


389 


till  within  an  hour  of  noon.  Our  halting-place  that 
evening  was  the  village  of  Ching-ku-kwan ; and  there 
Mr.  Doolittle  and  myself  went  ashore  to  inspect  a 
Snake  Temple.  There  was  no  image  of  the  snake  to 
be  seen  in  this  shrine ; but  the  tablet  of  the  snake  king 
was  there,  set  up  for  worship  in  a holy  place  ; and  we 
learned  that,  during  the  seventh  month,  a living  snake 
becomes  the  object  of  adoration.  Next  day  Mrs. 
Cheng  and  her  husband  had  a little  conjugal  disagree- 
ment. The  lady  stamped  her  tiny  feet  on  the  re-echo- 
ing deck,  and  ramped,  and  raged  like  a fury,  threatening 
to  cut  her  throat  rather  than  touch  an  oar  of  that  boat 
again.  As  for  Captain  Cheng,  he  sat  meekly  smoking 
his  pipe,  a true  example  of  marital  equanimity,  waiting 
till  the  storm  should  be  over-past.  Half  an  hour 
later  his  wife  was  working  away  as  busily  as  ever. 
Each  night  the  boat  is  arched  over,  waggon-fashion,  with 
a telescopic  arrangement  of  bamboo  matting,  forty  feet 
long,  ten  feet  wide,  and  four  feet  high,  which  covers 
the  entire  deck.  My  friend  and  I occupied  a small 
space  at  the  bow.  Ahong,  the  cook,  and  fourteen  boat- 
men, were  stretched  out  amidships,  a small  space  at  the 
stern  being  curtained  off  for  the  captain  and  his  spouse. 
The  representatives  of  three  generations  of  the  Cheng 
family  are  to  be  found  living  on  board  the  craft.  First 
the  grandfather.  He  does  almost  nothing  except  smoke  ; 
and  his  pipe,  a bamboo-cane  with  a knob  at  the  end  of 
it,  he  cherishes  with  wonderful  affection.  On  his  head 
is  a relic  of  antiquity  as  venerable  as  himself — the 
tattered  framework  of  a greasy-looking  felt  hat ; while 
as  for  his  thickly-padded  jacket,  it  is  reported  that  he 
removes  that  garment  from  his  person  about  once  a 
week,  in  order  to  destroy  the  small  colonists  that 


39° 


IN  DO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


disturb  his  repose.  For  upwards  of  half  a century  he 
had  been  learning  to  swallow  the  smoke  of  his  pipe, 
but  with  only  partial  success.  Once  or  twice  I fancied 
that  he  had  fairly  choked  himself,  and  was  about  to 
expire ; but  he  came  to  himself  again  by-and-bye,  and 
was  seen  puffing  more  vigorously  than  before. 

As  soon  as  the  roofs  were  drawn  over  for  the  night, 
smoking  commenced ; the  entire  crew,  Mrs.  Cheng  and 
all,  setting  to  work  in  business-like  fashion ; and,  as 
there  was  no  outlet  for  the  fumes,  the  atmosphere  can 
be  imagined  much  more  easily  than  it  could  be  endured. 
On  the  following  day  we  passed  a newly-wrecked  boat, 
which  had  struck  a sunken  rock  and  then  gone  down. 
We  also  encountered  a second  boat  dashing  down  the 
same  rapid  with  a fatal  way  on  her.  She  was  bearing 
straight  for  the  breakers  away  from  the  main  channel  ; 
the  helmsman  could  not  alter  her  course,  and  so  she, 
too,  struck  and  settled  down,  but  not  before  the  crew 
had  had  time  to  scramble  out  on  the  rocks,  and  make 
the  wreck  fast  with  a cable. 

At  one  little  village,  where  we  went  ashore,  a number 
of  small-footed  women  were  washing  clothes  in  the 
stream.  At  our  approach  they  fled  with  startling  celerity, 
scaling  the  rocks,  and  finding  foothold  where  only 
cloven-hoofed  goats  might  have  been  supposed  to  make 
their  way. 

The  river  at  this  point  presents  a variety  of  most 
attractive  scenes.  Between  the  many  rapids  great 
masses  of  rock  rose  up  in  bold  headlands,  covered 
above  with  waving  plumes  of  tall  flowering  grasses, 
and  draped  with  a profusion  of  foliage  that  reached 
right  down  to  the  shore,  and  was  there  reflected  in  the 
placid  pools.  Beyond  the  banks  we  see  hills,  dales, 


RAPIDS. 


39 1 


and  giant  rocks  mingled  together  in  grand  disorder, 
clothed  with  dark  pines  and  other  trees,  and  wearing 
rich  autumnal  tints. 

As  for  the  rapids,  their  tumultuous  cataracts  alter- 
nate with  great  basins  of  smooth  water  slipping  glassily 
onward  from  shoal  to  shoal.  In  some  rapids  the 

channel  was  so  thickly  bestrewn  with  rocks  as  to  be 
concealed  from  view  at  but  a very  short  distance  off ; 
while  in  the  great  Yen-ping  rapid  my  ears  were 
deafened  by  the  roar  of  the  boiling  torrent,  and  my 
sight  bewildered  by  the  wide  expanse  of  leaping  and 
foaming  water.  Here,  as  we  ascended,  the  ancient 
mariner  Cheng  flung  his  pipe  down  in  a moment  of 
peril  ; shouted  out  to  the  trackers  on  shore  ; and,  snatch- 
ing up  a pole,  planted  it  on  a sunken  rock  to  ease  the 
strain  that  threatened  to  snap  the  cable  by  which  we 
were  being  tracked  from  the  bank,  and  send  us  to 
destruction  on  the  rocks.  It  was  an  instant  of  intense 
excitement  and  danger ; the  power  of  the  rushing 
water  seemed  to  baffle  the  efforts  of  the  crew,  till  all 
hands  were  at  the  poles,  and  with  one  combined  effort 
we  moved  slowly  up  the  current ; the  old  man  prostrat- 
ing himself,  and  preparing  a burnt  offering  of  paper  in 
honour  of  the  sailors’  protecting  goddess. 

On  Sunday  we  reached  Yen-ping,  in  time  for  service 
at  the  Methodist  Mission  Chapel  in  that  place.  Yen- 
ping-fu  stands  on  a hill,  and  faces  the  main  stream  at  a 
point  where  it  is  fed  by  two  nearly  equal  tributaries, 
the  one  flowing  from  the  Bohea  Hills,  and  the  other 
from  a source  further  to  the  south- east.  The  town 
contains  a population  of  about  thirty  thousand  souls, 
and  does  a considerable  trade  in  paper,  lackered  ware, 
baskets,  and  tea.  The  foot  of  the  hill  was  encircled  by 


392 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


a high  wall,  from  within  which  rose  an  inclined  plane 
of  roofs,  broken  here  and  there  by  groves  of  trees 
and  temples,  but  still  almost  appearing  one  solid  slope 
of  tiled  steps,  over  which  an  Alpine  tourist  might 
scramble  to  the  outermost  wall  above,  whose  top  could 
be  seen  in  a faint  line  sweeping  round  the  heights  that 
closed  in  the  city  from  behind.  Beyond  this  hill,  which 
looked  as  if  it  had  been  made  for  the  town  that  covers 
it,  a high  range  of  mountains  rose  up  in  a deep  purple 
belt,  like  a great  protecting  barrier. 

The  Mission-house,  in  the  main  thoroughfare,  was 
a miserable  place  enough,  and  we  learnt  that  no  one 
would  let  a decent  house  to  Christians.  The  native 
missionary,  when  we  entered  the  chapel,  was  conduct- 
ing the  morning  service  in  the  midst  of  an  attentive 
congregation.  He  resided  here  with  his  family,  and 
looked  happy  and  contented  : although,  as  I have  said, 
his  abode  was  a poor  one,  built  and  partitioned  off  with 
bamboo-laths  and  plaster,  so  thin  that  one  could  have 
pushed  one’s  finger  through  the  walls  ; while  the  roof 
was  festooned  with  cobwebs,  and  admitted  more  day- 
light and  air  than  was  either  necessary  or  agreeable. 
The  interior  beneath,  however,  wore  a clean  and  even 
cheerful  look.  The  back  of  this  dwelling,  like  many 
others,  was  perched  upon  the  city  wall  ; and  there  was 
a path  running  beneath  the  fortifications,  along  which 
I picked  my  way  with  caution,  and  yet  narrowly 
escaped  being  tripped  up  by  a herd  of  pigs,  as  they 
rushed  to  banquet  upon  some  filthy  refuse  dropping 
down  from  a house  above. 

Yen-ping  was  a Chinese  city,  very  much  so,  indeed, 
and  yet  one  could  breathe  pure  mountain  air  on  its 
upper  wall,  and  encounter  some  very  pretty  sights. 


BURNT  OFFERINGS. 


393 


On  one  occasion,  when  taking  a view  from  a steep  hill 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  while  making  my 
way  up  to  a level  space,  I slipped  my  footing  and 
caught  hold  of  some  grass  that  stood  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet  high  there.  The  blades  of  this  grass  are  furnished 
with  an  array  of  sharp  teeth,  that  ripped  my  hands  up 
like  a saw ; but  at  the  same  time  it  saved  me  a rapid 
descent  of  about  two  hundred  feet,  and  a final  plunge 
of  a clear  hundred  more  into  the  river  below.  Near 
this  place,  in  a small  village,  we  found  the  two  widows 
and  family  of  a deceased  mandarin  sending  a complete 
retinue  to  the  spirit  of  their  departed  lord.  A pile  of 
huge  paper-models  of  houses  and  furniture,  boats  and 
sedans,  ladies-in-waiting  and  gentlemen-pages,  were 
brought  down  to  the  banks  of  the  river  and  there 
burned  before  the  wailing  widows.  One  of  these  ladies 
seemed  to  me  to  weep  much  more  bitterly  than  the 
other,  but  this  might  only  be  a fancy  of  mine.  These 
effigies  are  supposed  to  be  transformed  by  fire  into  the 
spiritual  reality  of  the  things  which  they  represent. 
Many  of  the  articles  were  covered  with  tin-foil,  and 
when  the  sacrifice  was  over  a seedy-looking  trader 
bought  the  ashes,  that  he  might  sift  them  and  secure 
the  tin  that  had  refused  to  put  on  an  ethereal  shape. 

Many  of  the  men  hereabouts  appeared  deformed, 
but  the  deformity  was  due  to  the  small  charcoal  furnaces 
which  they  carried  concealed  beneath  the  dress,  and 
used  to  keep  their  bodies  warm.  As  there  are  no  fire- 
places in  the  houses,  these  portable  furnaces  prove 
very  convenient  substitutes.  At  first,  when  I saw  so 
many  humps  about,  I supposed  that  some  special 
disease  must  be  common  in  the  place,  or  else  that  the 
sufferers  had  gathered  themselves  together  from  dif- 


394 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ferent  parts  of  the  empire  to  test  the  efficacy  of  some 
curative  spring,  like  those  hot  wells  near  Foochow, 
where  I have  seen  crowds  of  feeble  and  infirm  folk 
bathing  in  the  healing  vapours.  But  the  little  copper 
furnaces  encased  in  basket-work  supplied  a less  melan- 
choly explanation  of  the  mystery. 

When  I watched  the  coolness,  pluck,  and  daring, 
with  which  these  poor  river  navigators  will  shoot  the 
rapids  of  the  river  Min,  risking  their  lives  in  every 
voyage — in  a country  where  there  are  no  insurances, 
except  such  as  the  guilds  may  chance  to  afford,  and 
where  no  higher  reward  is  to  be  gained  than  a hand- 
to-mouth  subsistence  on  the  most  wretched  fare — I 
began  to  get  a truer  insight  into  the  manly  and  hardy 
qualities  latent  in  this  mis-governed  Chinese  race. 

In  some  of  these  watery  steeps  the  channel  winds 
and  writhes  from  right  to  left,  and  forms  acute  angles 
among  the  rocks  at  every  two  or  three  boats’  lengths. 
Once,  when  we  descended,  our  frail  craft  tearing  down 
these  bends  at  a fearful  speed,  I thought  for  a 
moment  that  our  fate  was  sealed,  for  it  seemed  impos- 
sible that  the  helmsman  could  ever  bring  the  vessel 
round  in  time  to  clear  a huge  rock  which  rose  up  right 
ahead.  There  he  stood  on  the  bridge,  calm  and  erect, 
with  an  iron  grasp  on  the  long  rudder,  impassive  until 
we  were  just  plunging  on  to  the  rock ; and  then,  as  I 
prepared  to  leap  for  life,  he  threw  his  whole  weight  on 
to  the  oar,  and  brought  the  boat  round  with  a sweep 
that  cleared  the  danger  by  the  breadth  of  a hair. 
Thus  we  shot  onwards,  down  ! down  ! down  ! like  a 
feather  tossed  to  and  fro  by  the  caprice  of  the  irre- 
sistible waves. 

As  we  passed  down  stream  we  saw  a great  number 


A NATIVE  PASSENGER-BOAT. 


395 


of  men  fishing  with  cormorants.  These  fishermen 
poled  themselves  about  on  bamboo-rafts,  and  on  each 
raft  was  a basket,  and  two  or  three  cormorants  trained 
to  dive  and  bring  up  fish  for  their  owners.  As  1 
intended  to  take  some  pictures  on  the  way  down  to 
Foochow,  my  friend,  who  was  pressed  for  time,  deter- 
mined to  find  his  way  home  in  a native  passenger- 
boat  that  was  about  to  leave  Shui-kow.  So  after 
dinner  I accompanied  him  on  board,  not  without  a 
last  vain  effort,  as  he  was  but  in  feeble  health,  to  per- 
suade him  to  complete  the  voyage  in  the  yacht  or 
house-boat  in  which  we  had  come.  A Chinese  pas- 
senger-boat makes  a pretty  swift  trip,  and  may  be  very 
suitable  for  natives,  but  it  does  not  quite  come  up  to 
our  European  notions  of  comfort.  Thus  the  steerage 
accommodation  consists  of  a long  low  cabin,  in  which 
one  can  scarcely  kneel  upright ; and  within  this  narrow 
space  we  found  about  fifty  persons  stowed  away. 
Many  were  pedlars  carrying  their  wares  along  with 
them  for  sale  ; and  the  air  of  this  packing-box  was 
strongly  tainted  with  garlic,  tobacco,  samshu,  opium, 
and  a variety  of  other  Chinese  perfumes,  which  issued 
from  the  mass  of  humanity  that  writhed  and  tumbled 
about,  in  fruitless  efforts  to  discover  places  for  repose. 
When  they  were  a little  settled,  we  had  literally  to 
grope  our  way  over  a reeking  platform  of  half-naked 
limbs  and  bodies,  and  amid  a torrent  of  cursing  and 
vile  abuse,  in  order  to  reach  the  state  cabin,  where  my 
stout  friend,  after  sundry  efforts,  succeeded  in  deposit- 
ing himself  at  last.  This  cabin  measured  about  four 
feet  by  three.  The  door  was  shut,  and  there  he  was, 
in  a sort  of  locker  with  one  or  two  openings  to  admit 
the  air,  or  rather  the  stench  and  din,  of  the  unwashed- 


39° 


DVD  O- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


noisy  crowd  in  the  steerage.  So  we  parted,  to  meet 
again  and  recount  our  adventures  in  Foochow. 

As  I walked  through  the  streets  of  Shui-kow  on 
my  way  back  to  the  boat,  I lost  my  dog  4 Spot,’  who 
had  been  my  constant  companion ; but  recollecting  a 
door  in  a wall  that  had  been  suddenly  opened  and  shut. 
I felt  certain  my  pet  had  been  there  caught  up  and 
taken  in,  as  his  white  silken  hair  was  much  admired  by 
the  Chinese.  Back  I trudged  to  the  door  ; and  as, 
when  I whistled,  I seemed  to  hear  a whining  response, 
I commenced  a vigorous  assault  on  the  entrance.  My 
knocking  soon  collected  a crowd,  to  whom  my  diffi- 
culties were  explained ; when,  after  a knock  and  a push 
more  dangerous  than  the  rest,  my  dog  was  quietly 
handed  over  the  wall  to  me,  and  we  turned  our  backs 
upon  the  place  to  descend  to  Foochow,  and  to  photo- 
graph the  points  of  interest  on  the  route. 


STEAM  TRAFFIC. 


397 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Steam  Traffic  in  the  China  Sea — In  the  Wake  of  a Typhoon — Shanghai 
— Notes  of  its  Early  History — Japanese  Raids — Shanghai  Foreign 
Settlement — Paul  Sii,  or  ‘ Su-kwang-ki  ’ — Shanghai  City — Ningpo — 
Native  Soldiers — Snowy  Valley — The  Mountains — Azaleas — The  Mo- 
nastery of  the  Snowy  Crevice — The  Thousand  Fathom  Precipice — 
Buddhist  Monks — The  Yangtsze'Kiang — Hankow — The  Upper  Yang- 
tsze — Ichang — The  Gorges — The  Great  Tsing-tan  Rapid — Mystic 
Mountain  Lights — A Dangerous  Disaster — Kwei-fu — Our  Return— 
Kiukiang — Nanking  ; its  Arsenal — The  Death  of  Tsing-kwo-fan — 
Chinese  Superstition. 


The  opening  of  the  Suez  Canal  has  probably  wrought 
as  great  a change  in  the  China  trade  as  in  the  com- 
merce of  the  Malayan  Archipelago  ; and  nowhere  is 
this  change  more  marked  than  in  the  carrying  traffic 
from  port  to  port  along  the  coasts  of  China.  Old 
lumbering  junks,  lorchas,  and  even  square-rigged  sail- 
ing ships,  are  gradually  disappearing  before  the  splen- 
didly-equipped steamers  of  the  local  companies  that 
ply  regularly  between  the  different  stations  from  Hong- 
kong to  Newchwang  ; and  then  innumerable  vessels, 
owned,  not  a few  of  them,  by  private  firms,  as  well  as 
by  public  companies,  frequently  find  lucrative  employ- 
ment, when  the  tea  and  silk  seasons  have  not  yet 
begun,  either  in  running  between  the  treaty  ports,  op 
in  making  short  voyages  to  the  rice-markets  of  Indo- 
China. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  make  a coasting  trip  .to 


398 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Shanghai  in  a fine  steamer  belonging  to  a private  line, 
engaged  in  the  tea  trade  during  the  greater  portion  of 
the  year,  but  at  that  time  making  a cruise  northward 
till  the  Hankow  tea-market  should  open,  and  hence 
touching  en  route  at  one  or  two  of  the  places  to  which 
the  reader  has  already  been  introduced.  Our  captain 
was  a quiet,  homely  man,  who  prided  himself  on  his 
ship,  his  officers,  and  crew,  and  on  the  sumptuous  fare 
of  his  table.  He  had  traded  on  the  coast  of  China  for 
many  years,  had  been  wrecked  several  times,  had  fought 
for  his  life  with  pirates,  and  battled  with  typhoons  as 
pitiless  as  they.  He  was  a genius,  too,  in  his  way. 
Thus  he  had  invented  several  new  nautical  instruments, 
too  advanced  for  the  present  age,  and  had  even  de- 
signed a safety-ship,  that  would  ride  out  the  fiercest 
storm.  But  this  vessel,  like  the  instruments,  had  not 
yet  been  constructed  and  put  to  the  test.  He  had 
also  a new  theory  of  storms,  based  on  personal  ex- 
perience and  actual  observation.  It  would  be  necessary, 
however,  for  the  man  who  would  verify  those  important 
conclusions,  not  only  to  trust  himself  to  the  mighty 
deep  during  the  worst  of  weather,  but  to  sail  boldly 
into  the  heart  of  the  tempest,  that  he  might  there,  with 
his  anemometer,  measure  the  force  of  the  wind,  and  try 
his  barometer  upon  the  rarity  of  the  air.  As  we  neared 
Shanghai  the  glass  indicated  either  that  a typhoon  was 
approaching,  or  else  that  we  were  just  upon  its  verge. 
The  latter  conclusion  was  the  true  one.  It  turned  out 
that  we  had  followed  in  the  wake  of  a hurricane,  and 
thus  our  experience  afforded  a good  example  of  the 
limited  area  to  which  the  circle  of  these  typhoons  are 
frequently  confined.  We  had  encountered  nothing 
save  calms  and  light  winds  throughout  our  passage  ; 


A COLLISION  ON  THE  IVONG-POO. 


399 


and  yet,  when  we  entered  Shanghai  river,  we  found 
many  ships  disabled,  some  of  them  swept  clear  to  the 
deck — masts,  spars,  and  rigging,  having  all  gone  over 
the  side.  Here  we  had  to  wait  twelve  hours  till  a 
licensed  pilot  came  on  board  ; and  when  that  individual 
did  at  last  make  his  appearance,  he  gravely  remarked 
that  he  was  only  a fifteen-foot  man,  but  that  he  could 
make  it  all  right  with  another  pilot  of  superior  depth, 
to  take  us  up.  What  he  meant  to  convey  to  us  was 
that  his  license  only  allowed  him  to  pilot  vessels  draw- 
ing fifteen  feet.  An  unfortunate  accident  occurred  as 
we  were  steaming  up  the  Wong-poo  to  the  wharf  at 
Shanghai.  The  Chinese  have  a superstitious  belief 
that  bad  luck  will  attend  their  voyage,  if  they  fail,  at 
starting,  to  cross  the  bows  of  a vessel  as  she  sails  across 
their  track  ; and  so,  as  we  steamed  on  with  a full  head 
of  steam,  we  perceived  a native  trading-boat  making 
frantic  efforts  with  sails  and  sculls  to  pass  under  our 
bows.  The  whistle  was  plied,  but  in  vain.  On  they 
pulled  to  their  own  certain  destruction  ; and  the  ear- 
piercing shriek  of  the  engine  must  have  sounded  to 
some  of  the  victims  like  a wail  that  foretold  their  death. 
The  engines  could  not  be  backed  amid  such  a crowd 
of  shipping,  and  I was  gazing  helplessly  over  our 
bulwarks  when  we  came  crashing  through  the  dry 
timbers  of  the  fated  craft.  There  was  a yell  of  despair, 
and  the  wreck  was  next  seen  drifting  down  the  stream. 
A number  of  the  crew  had  been  projected  by  the  shock 
some  distance  into  the  water ; others  clung  to  their 
property  until  it  was  submerged  ; but  very  fortunately 
none  of  them  perished,  as  a number  of  boats  had  seen 
the  incident,  and  had  put  off  to  their  assistance  at 


once. 


400 


IND 0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Shanghai  has  always  been  able  to  hold  its  own  as 
the  great  Chinese  emporium  of  foreign  trade.  It  was 
therefore  with  feelings  of  profound  interest,  that  I,  for 
the  first  time,  beheld  the  splendid  foreign  settlement 
that  now  stands  there  on  the  banks  of  the  Wong-poo,  at 
a spot  which  about  thirty  years  ago  was  a mere  swamp, 
dotted  with  a few  fisher  huts,  and  inhabited  by  a 
miserable  semi-aquatic  sort  of  Chinese  population.  In 
1831  Dr.  Gutzlaff,  who  visited  the  place  for  the  first 
time  in  a junk,  describes  it  as  the  centre  of  a great 
native  trade,  and  tells  us  that  from  this  port,  * more 
than  a thousand  small  vessels  go  up  to  the  north 
several  times  annually,  exporting  silk  and  other 
Kiangnan  manufactures,’  and  besides,  that  an  extensive 
traffic  was  carried  on  by  Fukien  men  with  the  Indian 
Archipelago.  But  we  may  venture  much  further  back 
in  the  history  of  the  town.  Several  centuries  ago, 
even  before  the  Wong-poo  river  became  a navigable 
stream  at  all,  there  was  a great  mart  established  in  this 
locality  on  the  banks  of  the  present  Soo-chow  Creek, 
twenty-five  miles  distant  from  the  harbour  in  which  we 
have  just  anchored.1  The  topographical  history  of  the 
district  is  full  of  records  telling  of  the  physical  changes 
to  which  the  vast  alluvial  plain  where  Shanghai  stands 
has  from  time  to  time  been  subjected.  Streams  have 
been  silted  up,  new  channels  have  spontaneously 
opened  ; and  yet,  amid  constant  difficulties  and  never- 
ceasing  alterations,  the  ever-important  trade  of  the 
place  has  been  maintained  within  the  same  narrow 
area,  where  the  annual  floods  of  the  Yang-tsze-kiang 
deposit  their  alluvium  on  the  margin  of  the  ocean,  and 
raise  new  land  up  out  of  its  bed. 

1 Sec  the  Shanghai  Hein  Chi. 


ANCIENT  JAPANESE  PA  IDS.  401 

The  political,  as  well  as  the  commercial  and 
physical  history  of  this  region,  is  no  less  full  of  interest. 
In  process  of  time  the  old  Wu-sung-kiang  became  in- 
navigable ; and  during  the  thirteenth  century,  a settle- 
ment was  founded  on  the  present- site  of  Shanghai,  to 
which  trade  was  rapidly  transferred  by  the  closing  of  the 
old  waterway  : finally,  in  a.d.  1544,  the  settlement  was 
converted  into  a walled  city,  as  a defence  against  the 
repeated  attacks,  of  the  Japanese.  These  Japanese 
raids,  which  date  from  a.d.  1361,  when  the  Ming 
dynasty  had  just  come  to  the  throne,  were  not  confined 
solely  to  this  quarter,  but  distributed  generally  over 
the  maritime  provinces  in  the  north.  The  Japanese, 
time  after  time,  proved  more  than  a match  for  their 
less  warlike  foes  ; but  the  latter  always  managed,  in 
the  long  run,  to  prevent  the  daring  invaders  from  ob- 
taining a permanent  foothold  upon  their  coveted 
shores.  These  Chinese  successes  were  sometimes 
secured  by  intrigue  and  diplomacy,  or  by  fair  promises 
and  bribes  ; the  slow-moving,  crushing  ponderosities  of 
Chinese  warfare,  being  only  resorted  to  when  all  else 
had  failed. 

To  illustrate  these  two  methods  of  repelling  an  in- 
vading force,  I will  relate  the  following  story.  In  1543 
when  the  Japanese  had  spoiled,  and  laid  waste,  no 
small  extent  of  the  country  around  Shanghai,  the  latter, 
seeing  that  she  was  too  feeble  to  fight  against  her 
enemies  with  success,  had  recourse  to  intrigue.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  Governor-General  of  the  province  invited 
the  Japanese  leaders,  ‘ Thsu-hai,’  ‘ Chen  tung,’  ‘ Ma- 
yeh,’  and  ‘ Wang-chen  ’ to  come  over  to  the  side  of  the 
Chinese  ; promising  them  the  rewards  of  high  rank,  and 
untold  treasure,  if  such  valiant  leaders  would  but  join 


402 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  Imperial  standard.  Tempted  by  the  offer,  they 
presented  themselves  to  arrange  conditions,  and  were 
forthwith  seized,  dispatched  to  Peking,  and  there  put 
to  an  ignominious  death.  On  another  occasion  it  is 
reported  that  the  Japanese  came  down  upon  their 
enemy  with  a fleet  of  300  vessels  ; and  after  carrying 
all  before  them,  and  plundering  to  their  hearts’  content, 
they  departed  laden  with  their  spoil  ; the  Chinese 
troops  pursuing  them  valiantly  out  of  the  country,  and 
making  an  imposing  hostile  demonstration  on  the 
shore,  as  they  unfurled  the  sails  of  their  ships.  It  will 
be  gathered  from  such  facts  as  these,  which  are  taken 
from  the  native  topographical  history  of  Shanghai,  that 
if  the  Formosa  difficulty  be  not  settled  peacefully,  it 
will  by  no  means  be  the  first  occasion  on  which  Japan 
has  crossed  swords  with  China.  In  ancient  times  the 
Japanese  had  the  best  of  it ; but  ere  long  the  wealth, 
and  superior  resources  of  the  Chinese  drove  their  foes 
back,  and  taught  them  to  confine  their  warlike  spirits 
within  the  narrow  limits  of  their  own  islands.  Pro- 
bably a similar  result,  arising  from  a similar  cause,  may 
be  expected  of  these  two  old  enemies  should  they  now, 
once  again,  go  to  war  ; the  civilised  world  looking  on 
the  while,  and  watching  the  varying  issues  of  the 
conflict  to  its  uncertain  close.  But  Japanese  raids  on 
Shanghai  would  be  less  likely  to  succeed  now-a-days, 
when  we  consider  the  world-wide  interests  that  centre 
in  the  small  foreign  settlement  there,  protected  by  the 
flags  of  the  most  powerful  and  civilised  nations  in  the 
world.  It  is  a place  where  there  are  close  on  a score 
of  different  nationalities,  ruled  over  by  a municipal 
body,  whose  members  are  chosen  from  among  the  resi- 
dent community,  irrespective  of  nation,  caste,  or  creed. 


SHANGHAI  FOREIGN  SETTLEMENT. 


4°3 


As  to  the  settlement  itself,  those  of  my  readers 
who  have  not  visited  China  will  feel  interested  in  a 
brief  description  of  its  present  appearance.  d he 
approach  by  the  river  almost  looks  like  that  of  any 
busy  prosperous  European  seaport.  There  one  finds 
ships  of  all  nations ; and,  anchored  in  mid-channel,  or 
making  their  way  to  their  moorings,  a long  line  ol 
ocean  steamers  ; while  steam-launches,  bearing  mails 
and  despatches,  dart  in  and  out  among  the  crowd  of 
native  craft  that  are  seen  around,  with  their  brown  sails 
spread  out  to  the  breeze,  like  winged  insects  skimming 
the  glassy  surface  of  the  stream.  Everywhere  around 
there  are  signs  of  ceaseless  activity  and  busy  life.  Far 
away  as  the  eye  can  reach  into  the  dim  distance,  not 
an  inch  of  vacant  space  on  the  broad  river  can  be  dis- 
covered ; and  yet,  looming  out  from  a forest  of  masts 
and  spars,  and  from  a dark  cloud  of  smoke,  we  see  the 
hull  of  a great  steamer  crowding  up  to  join  the  throng 
that  wait  to  bear  their  precious  burdens  down  the 
tortuous  channels  to  the  sea.  At  the  wharves,  there 
are  ships  loading  or  discharging  cargo ; and  amid  the 
din  of  voices  and  the  throbbing  of  engines  we  can  hear 
the  songs  of  the  sailors,  the  rattle  of  chains,  and  the 
dull  splash  of  anchors  as  they  drop  into  the  turbid 
water.  Advancing  further  up  the  river,  we  pass  rows 
of  storehouses,  foundries,  dockyards  and  sheds.  Next 
to  these,  the  substantial  buildings  on  the  American 
concession  ; and  then  a full  view  opens  before  us  of  the 
public  garden,  and  the  imposing  array  of  European 
offices,  which  front  the  river,  on  the  English  concession 
ground.  What  surprised  me  most  about  this  settle- 
ment was  the  absence  of  anything  temporary  or  un- 
finished in  the  style  of  its  buildings,  such  as  might 


404 


IND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


remind  one  that  the  place  was,  after  all,  nothing  more 
than  a trading  depot,  planted  on  hostile  and  inhos- 
pitable shores,  and  sustained  in  its  position  in  spite  of 
the  envy  which  its  appearance  excited  among  the 
rulers  of  the  land.  What  pangs  of  regret  and  remorse 
must  be  awakened  among  these  proud  unenlightened 
men  when,  in  their  moments  of  honest  reflection,  they 
cast  their  eyes  upon  this  ‘ Model  Settlement,’  and  per- 
ceive that  a handful  of  outer  barbarians  have,  within 
the  space  of  thirty  years,  done  more  with  the  little 
quagmire  that  was  grudgingly  allotted  to  them,  than 
they  themselves,  with  their  highest  efforts,  have 
achieved  anywhere  in  their  own  wide  Empire,  during 
all  the  untold  centuries  of  its  fame. 

As  I have  said  already,  there  is  a finish  about  the 
whole  settlement,  a splendour  and  sumptuousness 
about  its  buildings,  its  wide  roads,  and  breathing- 
spaces,  its  spacious  wharves,  and  elegant  warehouses, 
that  stand  as  a solemn  rebuke  to  the  niggardliness  and 
grinding  despotism  which,  within  the  narrow  limits  of 
the  greatest  walled  cities  of  China,  have  penned  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  struggling  beings  in  the  most 
temporary  abodes  ; there  to  carry  on  a ceaseless  strife 
for  existence,  breathing  the  fetid  air  of  narrow  polluted 
alleys,  exposed  to  the  constant  risk  of  fearful  conflagra- 
tion, and  the  grim  horrors  of  pestilence  or  famine. 
Good  men  and  true  I know  to  exist  among  the  officials 
of  China  ; and  they,  seeing  all  this,  and  feeling  con- 
scious of  the  freedom  and  higher  life  which  European 
communities  enjoy,  would  gladly  strike  off  the  fetters 
that  have  broken  the  spirit  of  their  countrymen,  and 
would  lift  them  up,  if  they  but  knew  how,  from  their 
low  estate  to  taste  the  purer  air  of  that  freedom,  for 


PAUL  SU. 


4°5 


which  the  waves  of  rebellion  that  have  swept  across  the 
pages  of  their  history  tell  us  that  they  have  never 
ceased  to  pine. 

Perhaps  the  Tien-wang,  better  known  as  the 
Taiping  chief,  or  ‘ Heavenly  King,’  had  some  such 
vision,  when  he  first  started  on  his  career  ; ere  his  mind 
gave  way  before  the  intoxication  of  easily-achieved 
success,  and  he  became  the  drivelling  fanatic  that  at 
length  sank  unwept  to  his  doom  within  his  gory  palace 
at  Nanking. 

Sii-kwang-ki,  or  ‘ Paul  Sii,’  celebrated  as  the  pupil 
of  Mathew  Ricci,  the  great  Jesuit  missionary  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  appears  to  have  been  a man  who 
mourned  over  the  condition  of  his  country.  He  was 
a native  of  Shanghai,  a scholar  of  great  renown  ; and  he 
not  only  aided  Ricci  in  his  translation  of  a number  of 
the  books  of  Euclid,  but  left  behind  him  many  valuable 
original  works  ; notably  one  on  agriculture,  which  is  still 
highly  prized.  But  although  admitted  by  the  Emperor 
‘ Kia-tsing  ’ and  his  successor  to  be  a man  of  singular 
ability  and  foresight,  his  wise  councils  were  disregarded, 
and  he  himself  was  repeatedly  treated  with  suspicion, 
due  to  the  intrigues  of  jealous  rivals.  Accordingly  his 
counsel  was  set  aside,  and  his  measures  for  the  preser- 
vation and  defence  of  the  last  Chinese  dynasty  were 
systematically  neglected.  But  to  this  day  he  occupies 
a shrine  in  one  of  the  temples  of  Shanghai ; and  there 
his  fellow-townsmen  pay  him  reverent  worship  as  a 
sort  of  divinely-inspired  sage. 

I can  only  say  a word  in  passing  about  the  present 
trade  of  Shanghai.  Most  of  my  readers  are  aware  that 
in  spite  of  a host  of  troubles  (not  the  least  of  which  was 
the  Taiping  rebellion,  or  rather  I believe  the  attack 


406 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


upon  the  city  by  the  short-sword  or  dagger  rebels)  it 
has  continued  to  advance  steadily,  and  has  always 
maintained  its  position  as  the  greatest  emporium  of 
China.  It  must  be,  at  the  same  time,  borne  in  mind 
that  this  commercial  success  is,  in  some  measure  at 
least,  attributable  to  the  semi-European  customs  ad- 
ministration which  was  inaugurated  at  this  city  in 
1843,  and  which  now  extends  its  ramifications  to  all  the 
open  ports  of  the  Empire 

There  are  doubtless  certain  commercial  grievances 
(such  as  the  Lekin  tax,  and  the  inland  transit  dues) 
which  still  demand  redress,  or  adjustment,  at  the  hands 
of  the  central  government ; but  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
the  remodelling  of  the  customs  administration  was  the 
commencement  of  a new  mercantile  era,  and  has 
proved  a great  boon,  not  to  the  nations  of  Europe  only, 
but  also  to  the  Chinese  themselves. 

Some  of  my  readers  will  naturally  enquire  whence 
the  labour  came  which  transformed  this  dismal  swamp 
into  what  I have  just  described;  and  built  houses  there  fit 
for  any  capital  of  Europe,  and  infinitely  superior  to  some 
of  the  edifices  that  adorn  our  own  greatest  ports.  One 
might  think  that  structures  such  as  these  must  have  been 
reared  by  skilled  workmen  from  Europe  ; but  a very- 
short  residence  in  Shanghai  suffices  to  undeceive  us. 
Then  we  mark  the  avidity  with  which  the  native  build- 
ers, carpenters,  and  mechanics  of  every  sort,  compete 
with  each  other  to  win  the  remunerative  employment 
which  those  buildings  afford  ; and  the  facility  with 
which  they  pick  up  the  extended  knowledge  needful  to 
enable'  them  to  carry  out  their  contracts,  and  to  impart 
to  their  work  that  elegance  and  perfection  which  the 
cultivated  tastes  of  the  foreign  architect  demand.  But 


SHANGAI  NATIVE  CITY. 


407 


it  is  not  to  these  buildings  alone  that  we  must  look  to 
discover  the  hidden  resources  of  Chinese  toil.  V isit 
the  dockyards  and  foundries,  and  there,  too,  watch  the 
Chinese  craftsmen,  the  shipwrights,  engineers,  carpen- 
ters, painters,  and  decorators,  busily  at  work  under 
European  foremen,  who  bear  the  highest  testimony  to 
the  capabilities  of  their  men.  Pass  on  next  to  the 
Kiang-nan  arsenal,  outside  the  city  walls,  and  there 
you  will  find  perhaps  the  highest  development  of 
Chinese  technical  industry,  in  the  manufacture  of  rifles 
and  field-guns,  and  the  construction  of  ships  of  war. 

The  native  walled  city  of  Shanghai  stands  to  the 
south  of  the  foreign  settlement,  and  is  separated  from 
it  by  the  French  concession  ground,  and  by  a canal 
which  here  sweeps  round,  and  forms,  with  Soo-chow 
Creek  and  the  river,  a water  boundary  for  the  entire 
English  ground.  The  latter,  on  its  western  side,  sup- 
ports a Chinese  population  of  over  50,000  souls  ; but 
inside  the  walls  of  the  Chinese  city,  in  an  area  mea- 
suring little  over  a mile  long  by  three-fourths  of  a mile 
in  breadth,  and  in  a densely  crowded  suburb  on  the 
water’s  edge  close  by,  about  1 30,000  inhabitants 
reside. 

Like  all  other  Chinese  towns,  Shanghai  has  its 
tutelary  deity,  upon  whom  the  Emperor,  as  brother  of 
the  Sun,  has  conferred  an  honorary  title.  This  guardian 
of  the  fortunes  of  Shanghai  stands  in  the  ‘ Cheng- 
hwang-Miau  ’ or  ‘Temple  of  the  City  God,’  in  the 
northern  quarter  of  the  town ; and  though  he,  and  his 
shrine,  have  from  time  to  time  been  rudely  overthrown, 
both,  after  each  disaster,  have  been  reverently  restored  ; 
and  now  he  may  be  seen  looking  out  upon  wide  plea- 
sure-grounds— in  a more  or  less  dilapidated  state,  it  is 


4oS 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


true — but  still  now  and  again  regaled  with  theatrical 
performances,  and  leading,  for  an  idol,  a not  altogether 
unenjoyable  life.  In  the  same  spot  are  two  drum- 
towers,  superintended  by  a number  of  inferior  deities, 
and  used  more  especially  to  spread  the  alarm  of  fire, 
or  to  notify  the  approach  of  a foe.  Then  there  is  the 
Confucian  temple  ; besides  a host  of  other  Buddhist 
and  Taoist  sacred  edifices,  occupying  the  best  spaces 
of  ground  within  a city  where  the  miserable  population 
have  too  often  scarcely  breathing  space.  The  foreign 
settlement  supports  three  hospitals  for  the  benefit  of 
the  natives  ; but,  as  I have  already  noticed,  many  more 
such  benevolent  institutions  are  needed  to  relieve  the 
be-drugged,  be-sotted,  and  unfortunate  sick  among  the 
vast  population  of  the  land. 

Our  route  now  lies  away  among  the  azalea-clad 
mountains  in  the  province  of  Che-Kiang.  But  before 
re-embarking  we  must  have  a parting  glance  at  the 
streets  of  the  * Model  Settlement.’ 

There  are  no  cabs  ; but  the  residents,  many  of  them, 
possess  private  carriages.  The  substitute  for  the  cab 
here  is  the  wheelbarrow — a very  undignified  sort  ol 
conveyance,  but  nevertheless  comfortable  enough  when 
one  has  once  grown  accustomed  to  its  use.  It  is 
pleasant  to  see  the  Chinese  domestics  and  their  families  ; 
or  native  ladies  dressed  in  silks,  their  glossy  hair  held 
in  by  a broad  black  velvet  band  with  a spray  of  pearls 
in  front,  being  propelled  along  the  bund  in  their  hand- 
carts : but  they  are  not  used  among  Europeans,  excepting 
after  dark.  Ahong  procured  me  two  of  these  wheel- 
barrows from  the  nearest  stand,  and  thus,  with  my  two 
boys,  my  baggage,  and  ‘Spot,’  I set  out  for  the  Ning 
po  steamer.  There  is  not  much  risk  of  accidents  in  a 


THE  SHANGHAI  WHEELBARROW.  409 

steady-going  vehicle  such  as  this.  The  coolie  who 
propels  it  is  neither  skittish  nor  given  to  shying,  and 
the  pace  he  puts  on  is  never  dangerous. 

The  main  roads,  and  the  streets  which  branch  in 
all  directions  from  them,  are  wide  : and  ample  provision 
has  thus  been  made  for  a traffic  which  tends  constantly 
to  increase  ; they  are  level  too,  and  smooth  as  a billiard- 
table,  so  that  there  at  least  one  escapes  the  risk  of 


THE  SHANGHAI  WHEELBARROW. 


broken  limbs,  or  a slush-and-water  grave  in  the  pitfalls 
and  mud-pools  which  disfigure  the  imperial  highways 
of  China. 

The  steamer  sheers  off  from  the  wharf,  and  cau- 
tiously drops  down  through  the  shipping  and  out  of  the 
river,  where  she  plunges  merrily  on  the  waves.  A 
passenger  on  board  gave  us  a strange  account  of  the 
ancient  port  of  Ningpo. 


4X0 


IND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


He  said  he  had  not  been  there  for  some  years; 
but  that  the  last  time  he  was  there  he  experienced 
difficulty  in  finding  anybody  about.  ‘Trade  had  deserted 
the  place,  and  it  seemed  to  be  running  to  dry  rot.  I 
anchored  below  the  settlement,  and  rowed  up  in  a small 
boat,  to  see  if  I could  find  my  consignee ; at  length, 
coming  upon  two  semi-European,  antiquated  houses; 
with  a few  feet  of  clear  ground  in  front  of  them,  I went 
ashore ; but  still  there  was  not  a soul  to  be  seen,  until 
at  last  a miserable  European  emerged  out  of  one  of 
the  houses,  dressed  in  the  garb  of  a bygone  age.  As 
soon  as  this  strange  being  set  eyes  on  me  he  gave  a 
frantic  shout  of  joy,  and  said,  “ My  dear  fellow,  who- 
ever you  are,  I am  delighted  to  see  you.  You  are  the 
only  European  who  has  been  here  for  many  a day.  I 
had  almost  forgotten  my  mother  tongue  ; have  you  such 
a thing  as  a dollar  ? ” “ Yes,”  I said,  “ I am  so  fortunate 
as  to  possess  one  or  two.”  “ Let  me  see  one,  then, 
friend.  Oh!  let  me  see  one!”  He  gazed  upon  it 
ardently  for  some  time,  and  then  said,  “ Ha ! I have 
not  seen  one  of  these  coins  for  a very  long  period.” 
“ Can  you,”  I said,  “ direct  me  to  Mr.  Moulds’,  my  con- 
signee ? ” “ That’s  my  name,  and  I have  been  here 

for  half  a century ; but  come  to  the  office.”  The 
approach  to  the  office  presented  the  vegetable  kingdom 
in  full  swing ; a grassy  path  and  trees  invading  the 
quiet  domain  of  business.  The  doors  had  been  taken 
down,  or  had  fallen  off  their  hinges,  and  were  now 
standing  against  the  wall,  gracefully  festooned  with 
creepers.  What  looked  a mossy  carpet  was  moss  or 
fungus  on  the  floor;  and  the  chairs  had  velvet  covers 
of  green  mould.  A silken  drapery  of  spiders’  webs 
hun<j  in  the  corners  of  the  room,  and  in  one  there  was 

o 


N1NGP0. 


41 1 

. . . . “ Well,”  I said  to  my  ancient  friend,  “ you  are 
fond  of  nature,  a botanist  perhaps  ? What  a splendid 
herbarium  you  have  in  the  corner  there,  what  beautiful 
ferns  ! ” “ Do  not  jest,  dear  sir,”  said  my  consignee  ; 

“ that  you  must  know  is  my  iron  safe.  It  has  not  been 
used  for  some  time,  and  really  the  growth  of  fungus 
and  vegetable  matter  in  this  region  is  troublesome ; 
but  when  business  revives  we  won’t  let  grass  grow  at 
our  heels,  no  we  won’t ! ” ’ 

I thought  it  probable  that  the  picture  was  slightly 
overdrawn,  and  that  the  ancient  merchant  described 
might  possibly  be  a miserable  survivor  of  the  early 
Portuguese  who  were  established  on  the  river  Yang  at 
the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  were  finally 
massacred  by  the  natives  in  revenge  for  their  barbarous 
conduct,  according  to  the  Chinese  account. 

These  Portuguese  were  said  about  that  time  to  have 
joined  with  the  Japanese  in  several  of  their  raids  on 
the  maritime  provinces  of  China ; and  it  will  be  re- 
membered that,  some  sixteen  years  ago,  there  was 
another  massacre  of  Portuguese  and  Manilla  men  at 
this  very  same  town.  They  were  then  in  some  way 
implicated  in  the  piracies  of  daily  occurrence  in  the 
China  Sea  at  that  time,  and  the  general  feeling  was 
that  the  retribution  was  not  altogether  undeserved. 
Another  disaster  befel  Ningpo  in  1 86 1 , when  it  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Taipings  ; remaining  in  their  pos- 
session for  about  six  months,  when  it  was  retaken  for 
the  Imperialists  by  the  English  and  French  war  vessels, 
and  since  that  time,  like  many  other  Chinese  cities,  has 
been  labouring  on  peacefully  in  a languid  effort  to 
regain  what  it  lost  at  the  hands  of  the  rebels  and  the 
Imperial  troops. 


3° 


412 


INDOCHINA  AND  CHINA. 


It  was  daylight  when  we  steamed  up  the  Yang 
river  ; and  the  harsh  outlines  of  the  islands,  and  of 
Chin-hai  promontory  close  by,  were  mellowed  in  the 
morning  light.  A great  fleet  of  fishing-boats  bound 
seaward  contributed  to  enliven  the  scene ; and  there 
were  Fukien  timber-junks,  too,  laden  till  they  looked 
like  floating  wood-yards,  and  labouring  on  their  way  up 
stream. 

One  feature  full  of  novelty  was  the  endless  array 
of  ice-houses  lining  the  banks  of  the  river  for  miles, 
and  presenting  the  appearance  of  an  encampment  of 
troops.  These  ice-houses,  or  ice-pits,  are  thatched 
over  with  straw ; and  the  ice  is  used  to  preserve  fresh 
fish  during  the  summer  months. 

There  is  a small  foreign  community  on  the  banks 
of  the  Yang,  making  up  in  all  about  eighty  residents 
of  different  nationalities,  including  the  missionary  body. 
The  native  city  is  a walled  enclosure,  somewhat  larger 
than  that  at  Shanghai,  and  with  nearly  double  its  popu- 
lation ; but  as  for  the  foreign  trade  of  the  place,  it  has 
never  been  very  important,  in  spite  of  the  proximity 
of  Hang-chow-fu,  the  capital  of  the  province,  which  the 
great  Venetian,  when  he  passed  through  it,  described 
as  an  Eastern  Paradise. 

Among  the  chief  attractions  of  Ningpo  are  the 
Fukien  guild-hall,  the  ‘ Tien-how-kung,’  as  it  is  called, 
or  ‘ Temple  of  the  Queen  of  Heaven  ; ’ one  of  the  finest 
buildings  of  the  kind  in  China.  Indeed  it  is  only  the 
temples,  the  yamens,  and  the  houses  of  the  rich — the 
latter,  outside  the  official  ranks,  few  and  far  between 
when  one  considers  the  vastness  of  the  population — that 
possess  any  noteworthy  architectural  features  in  the 
country.  The  comfortable,  elegant,  and  tasteful  abodes 


NINGPO  CITY  GUARD. 


4i3 


of  the  middle  classes,  which  adorn  the  suburbs  round 
our  cities  at  home,  are  conspicuous  by  their  absence  in 
the  * Flowery  Land.’ 

In  the  Fukien  guild-hall  we  find  a really  splendid 
specimen  of  Chinese  temple  architecture.  The  principal 
building  of  this  commercial  shrine  is  supported  by  a 
series  of  exquisitely  sculptured  monolithic  pillars,  each 
representing  the  dragon  of  native  mythology  ; while 
the  upper  roof  furnishes  a very  perfect  example  of  the 
complex  Chinese  system  of  open  ornamental  bracketing, 
on  which  the  heavy  superincumbent  weight  is  sus- 
tained. 

In  this  town,  too,  I met  the  remnant  of  that  ‘ ever- 
victorious  army’  which  achieved  so  many  triumphs. 
Now,  ‘after  much  turmoil,’  these  warriors  rest  from 
their  labours,  and  form  the  Ning-po  city  guard  ; a small 
compact  body  of  disciplined  native  troops,  under  two 
English  officers,  well  drilled,  well  cared  for,  and  well 
paid.  This,  I fear,  is  more  than  can  be  said  of  all,  or 
even  a large  portion,  of  the  Chinese  forces  now  under 
arms.  At  any  rate  they  are  not  all  well,  and  but  few 
of  them  regularly,  paid.  Notwithstanding  this  the 
condition  of  the  Chinese  soldiers  is  better  than  it  has 
been  in  former  years  ; and  I believe  that,  were  the 
Imperial  Government  obliged  to  make  an  effort,  they 
could  turn  out  an  army  infinitely  better  equipped,  and 
far  more  formidable,  than  is  generally  supposed  ; al- 
though, at  the  same  time,  any  force  the  Chinese  might 
thus  muster  would  be  wofully  deficient  in  the  discipline, 
organisation  and  science,  required  in  coping  with  the 
machine-like  masses  that  are  placed  upon  the  modern 
battle-fields  of  Europe. 

These  are  the  impressions  I gathered  from  actual 


414 


IN  DO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


observation  of  large  bodies  of  men  encamped  and 
under  review  in  China.  I think  that  a Chinaman  who 
has  received  an  English  education,  of  a not  very  high- 
class  sort,  might  try  to  put  a letter  together  in  pure 
English  with  just  about  as  much  success  as  his  govern- 
ment, with  the  knowledge  they  at  present  possess  of 
the  science  of  modern  warfare,  to  send  a thoroughly 
efficient  army  to  face  our  troops.  I cannot,  indeed, 
march  a regiment  of  Chinese  before  my  reader  for 
review,  but  of  their  shortcomings  in  European  literary 
composition  I will  give  an  actual  sample. 

An  Englishman  had  occasion  to  send  a note  to  his 
doctor’s  native  assistant,  and  here,  in  facsimile,  is  the 
reply : — 

1 Dear  Sir, — I not  know  this  things  Dr.  no 

came  Thursday  More  better  you  ask  he  supose  you 
what  Fashtion  thing  can  tell  me  know  I can  send  to 
you. 

‘ Yours  truly 

‘ Hang  Sin.’ 

Now  in  the  foregoingwe  have  a very  fine  specimen 
of  the  sort  of  results  achieved  by  Chinamen  who  flatter 
themselves  that  they  can  write  English  perfectly. 
They  have  learnt  the  letters,  and  something  of  the 
syntax  and  grammar,  but  not  enough  to  be  of  value  to 
them  ; and  so  it  is  with  the  Chinese  soldier  of  to-day. 
He  possesses  the  right  weapons,  but  he  lacks  the  full 
knowledge  essential  to  make  use  of  them  effectively, 
and  the  perfect  discipline  which  alone  can  unite  him  to 
his  fellows  on  the  field,  as  an  important  unit  in  a com- 
pact and  well-organised  mass. 

On  April  4th  I left  Ningpo  for  Snowy  Valley,  in  a 


KONG-KAI. 


4i5 


native  boat  which  I hired  to  take  me  up  stream  to 
Kong-kai.  It  was  close  on  midnight  when  we  started 
from  Ningpo  wharf,  and  we  hoped  to  reach  Kong-kai 
village  by  about  9 or  10  a.m.  next  day.  But  we  had 
made  no  allowance  for  the  leisure-loving  character  of 
the  natives  of  Ningpo.  There  is,  above  the  city,  a 
floating  bridge  across  the  river  ; and  the  first  thing  we 
had  to  do  was  to  wait  until  men  could  be  found  to 
draw  up  the  central  pontoon,  so  as  to  permit  our  boat 
to  pass  through.  When  this  business  was  settled,  the 
boatmen  suddenly  discovered  that  the  tide  was  against 
them,  and  were  about  to  anchor  and  go  to  sleep.  I 
thereupon  ordered  them  to  pull  me  back  to  the  city, 
and  after  a good  deal  of  trouble  and  delay  they  were 
got  to  push  forward.  Not  long  after  I fell  asleep,  and 
when  I next  awoke  I found  myself  plunging  down  an 
inclined  plane.  Starting  up,  I noticed  that  we  had 
reached  a weir,  and  that  our  boat  had  been  hauled  up 
by  a windlass  and  was  now  being  dropped  over  to  the 
higher  level  on  the  other  side.  In  the  end  we  reached 
Kong-kai  within  the  allotted  time.  My  party  con- 
sisted of  my  two  China  boys  and  four  Ningpo  coolies 
engaged  to  transport  my  baggage  to  the  hills.  Our 
path  lay  across  fields  of  bean  and  rape,  now  in  full 
bloom,  and  exhaling  a delightful  fragrance,  which  con- 
trasted strikingly  with  the  morning  whiffs  from  the 
manure-bestrewed  fields,  which  commonly  salute  the 
wanderer  in  China.  Everything  hereabouts  shone 
with  freshness  and  beauty,  and  it  was  evident  that  we 
must  have  landed  in  a real  paradise  of  cultivation. 

There  lay  the  village  in  front  of  us,  nestling  cosily 
amid  the  trees  ! and,  as  we  marched  along,  I pictured 
to  myself  a quiet  rustic  hamlet,  such  as  we  encounter  in 


416 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


our  English  counties — pretty  cottages  where  rose  and 
honeysuckle  climb  the  rustic  walls,  or  peep  in  at  open 
doorways  ; children,  flushed  with  the  bloom  of  health, 
prattling  over  their  play ; and  sturdy  villagers  pursuing 
their  useful  daily  toil. 

But  notwithstanding  the  natural  beauty  of  the 
situation,  Kong-kai  was  disappointing.  No  perfume 
of  rose  or  honeysuckle  greeted  us  as  we  approached  ; 
no  rustic  cots,  no  healthy,  blooming  children ; not  even 
the  fondly-expected  sturdy  villager,  were  among  what 
was  here  to  be  seen.  The  place  looked  as  if  it  had 
been  stricken  with  blight.  The  houses  along  its  main 
alley  were  huddled  together,  jostling  and  elbowing  each 
other  for  space  and  breathing  room,  and  leaning  forward 
upon  the  broken  and  muddy  pavement  in  various 
stages  of  decay ; while,  as  for  their  occupants,  they 
were  little  better.  Not  a few  could  be  recognised  as 
the  pale  shrivelled  victims  of  the  opium-pipe,  and  the 
majority  seemed  sickly  and  dirty.  As  I stood  at  this 
little  hamlet,  on  its  old  bridge,  a striking  contrast  pre- 
sented itself  to  my  gaze.  Towards  the  hills,  through 
a drapery  of  pale  green  foliage  that  shaded  the  old 
wall,  you  might  discern  the  river,  flowing  between  its 
reedy  shallows,  reflecting  the  waving  plumes  of  bamboo 
that  bent  over  its  banks,  and  the  purple  of  the  distant 
mountains ; you  might  mark  the  water  meandering 
through  the  far-off  fields  until  it  was  lost  in  the  dim 

o 

hot  air  of  the  plain ; and,  nearer  at  hand,  some 
heavy-laden  raft  of  earthenware  gliding  lazily  down 
stream,  the  owner  resting  on  a jar,  basking  in  the  sun, 
and  smoking  the  pipe  of  contentment  and  repose.  To 
the  left,  again,  in  the  direction  of  Kong-kai,  a small 
temple  rose  up  from  beneath  the  shade  of  an  ancient 


A WAYSIDE  TEMPLE. 


4i7 


tree,  and  hard  by  it  were  the  squalid  villagers  trooping- 
out  to  have  a look  at  my  strange  apparatus.  One 
group  had  scaled  the  treacherous  height  of  a dung- 
heap,  which,  faint  with  its  own  odour,  had  sunk  against 
the  gateway  of  the  shrine.  The  tutelary  idol  within 
could  have  been  but  a worthless  and  disreputable  god, 
else  how  could  he  have  allowed  his  mud-begrimed 
worshippers  to  fall  into  so  unprosperous  a condition  ? «■ 
At  this  place  we  procured  mountain-chairs  for  an 
eighteen  miles’  journey  to  the  monastery  of  Tien-tang. 
The  chair-bearers  looked  a worn  and  feeble  set,  but  as 
I walked  a good  deal  they  were  not  over-fatigued. 
We  were  now  fairly  on  our  way  across  the  plain,  glad 
once  more  to  be  free  of  the  foul  atmosphere  of  the 
village.  One  or  two  of  the  hamlets  which  we  passed 
on  the  road  were  much  mofe  attractive  than  Kong-kai  ; 
and,  indeed,  the  people  seemed  to  improve  in  condition 
the  further  we  advanced  inland.  Near  the  hills  the 
women  and  children  adorn  their  raven  tresses  with  the 
bright  flower  of  the  azalea — a plant  found  in  great  pro- 
fusion in  the  highlands  of  the  locality.  The  halting- 
places  were  little  wayside  temples  ; and  in  one  of  these 
I met  two  old  women,  the  priestesses  of  the  shrine. 
Most  haggard,  ill-favoured  crones,  were  they  ; and  it 
was  with  grave  forebodings  that  I allowed  them  to  pre- 
pare my  repast.  As  they  leant  over  a fire  of  reeds 
in  the  dim  light  of  an  inner  court,  with  hideous  idols 
glaring  around,  I should  not  have  been  surprised  to 
have  seen  them  vanish  in  the  smoke.  I half  sus- 
pected that  I was  being  made  the  victim  of  some  spell 
or  incantation,  when  I observed  one  of  these  bel- 
dames stretch  forth  her  withered  hand  and  pluck  a leaf 
from  some  strange  plant  which  grew  near  the  altar, 


418 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


dropping  the  herb  mysteriously  inside  the  cup,  as  she 
handed  me  some  tea.  I certainly  sipped  the  decoction 
eyeing  the  old  priestess  the  while  ; but  nothing  came 
of  it.  Probably  she  divined  the  drift  of  my  thoughts, 
for  her  oaken  face  shrunk  up  into  a weird  grin. 

The  bearers  rested  as  often  as  they  possibly  could, 
and  spent  their  money  and  their  leisure  in  gambling 
among  themselves,  or  with  wayside  hawkers.  Some  of 
the  small  temples  hereabouts  differed  from  any  which  I 
had  seen  in  China,  having  their  outer  porches  adorned 
with  two  or  three  well-modelled  life-size  figures  in  the 
costume  which  appeared  to  be  that  of  the  ancient 
lictors  of  the  Ming  dynasty.  But  the  idols  within 
v/ere  invariably  the  same,  the  ordinary  Triad  of  the 
Buddhist  mythology.  Each  shady  nook  about  these 
shrines  was  the  resort,  and  at  times  the  sleeping- place, 
of  wayfarers  ; and  there,  too,  vendors  of  fruit  and  other 
provisions  had  set  up  their  stalls,  ready  either  to  sell 
the  traveller  his  daily  food,  or  to  gamble  with  him  for 
it,  if  he  preferred  that  plan.  The  wandering  minstrel 
and  the  story-teller  were  not  absent  from  the  scene, 
beguiling  the  mid-day  repast  with  quaint  ballads  or 
with  some  tale  from  the  rich  stores  which  the  folklore 
of  the  country  has  to  supply.  At  one  of  these  halting- 
places,  while  the  coolies  were  tossing  dice  with  an  aged 
hawker,  a Chinese  pedlar  laid  down  his  burden  for  a 
rest.  He  had  been  carrying  two  baskets  slung  on  a 
pole,  and  from  these  there  issued  such  an  incessant 
pattering,  and  ceaseless  chirping,  that  my  curiosity  in- 
duced me  to  open  one  of  them  and  have  a look  inside. 
There  I found  about  a hundred  fluffy  little  ducklings, 
all  of  an  age,  flapping  their  rudimentary  wings,  and 
opening  their  capacious  mouths,  clamorous  for  food. 


MY  DOG  1 SPOT.' 


419 


They  were  of  our  friend’s  own  hatching,  and  but  one  or 
two  days  old  ; yet  in  that  short  space  of  time  they  had 
developed  the  instinct  of  self-preservation  as  strongly 
as  their  owner,  who,  poorly-clad  and  hungry-looking 
himself,  was  taking  them  to  market  for  sale. 

Hatching  poultry  by  artificial  heat  has  reached 
great  perfection  in  China.  My  dog  ‘Spot  ’ manifested 
a strong  interest  in  these  callow  nestlings;  his  eyes 
filled  with  tears,  his  tail  dropped  pensively,  and  he 
uttered  a touching  whine  of  regret,  as  I sternly  com- 
manded him  to  withdraw  his  scrutiny  from  the  baskets 
and  their  contents.  ‘ Spot  ’ was  a singularly  thought- 
ful dog ; whenever  I slept  he  used  to  awake  me  next 
morning,  by  jumping  up  and  quietly  poking  me  in  the 
ribs,  with  his  cold  black  nose  ; and  when  I was  fairly 
astir  he  would  next  rouse  the  boys  to  the  preparation 
of  breakfast.  He  was  full  of  humour,  too,  and  waggish- 
ness of  tail,  withal ; but  to  the  presence  of  strange 
Chinamen  he  retained  unconquerable  objections.  When 
I was  eating  he  felt  .it  his  duty  to  be  close  at  hand, 
carrying  on  a sort  of  dumb  conversation  the  while,  one 
ear  up,  the  other  down,  and  responding  to  my 
enquiries  with  sundry  blinkings  of  the  eyes,  and  grave 
movements  of  an  expressive  tail.  When  all  was  over, 
and  he,  too,  had  had  his  share  of  food,  he  would  wind 
himself  up  for  the  day  by  pursuing  his  tail  round  and 
round,  and  then  finally'  dart  off  in  advance  to  take  a 
survey  of  the  road.  He  was  a dog,  too,  endowed  with 
a sort  of  national  pride,  and  could  never  be  brought  to 
associate  with,  or  even  take  notice  of,  Chinese  curs. 

The  plain  which  we  were  now  crossing  was  dotted 
with  little  grave-mounds  crowned  with  towering  shrubs. 
And  here  and  there  a farm-house  could  be  seen  peeping 


420 


IND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


out  amid  the  groves,  or  a haystack  clinging  round  the 
trunk  of  a tree,  and  propped  six  feet  clear  above  the 
ground. 

The  ascent  to  the  monastery  of  the  ‘ Snowy 
Crevice  ’ afforded  a succession  of  the  finest  views  to  be 
met  with  in  the  province  of  Cheh-kiang.  The  azaleas, 
for  which  this  place  is  celebrated,  were  now  in  full 
bloom,  mantling  the  hills  and  valleys  with  rosy  hues, 
and  throwing  out  their  blossoms,  in  clusters  of  sur- 
prising brilliancy,  against  the  deep  green  foliage  which 
bound  the  edges  of  the  path.  The  mountains  them- 
selves were  tossed  in  wild  disorder  ; here  swelling  into 
richly-wooded  knolls,  'or  rising  in  giant  cliffs  and 
beetling  crags ; there  sweeping  down  into  dark  rocky 
ravines,  or  sylvan  valleys,  where  we  could  hear  the 
carolling  of  birds,  or  the  faint  murmuring  of  a mountain 
rill.  But  it  was  not  till  we  had  almost  reached  the 
monastery,  that  we  came  upon  the  grandest  scene. 
Here,  as  we  looked  back  from  an  altitude  of  1,500  feet, 
the  eye  wandered  over  an  endless  multitude  of  hills. 
A single  cloud  rested  on  a distant  summit,  as  if  to 
watch  the  windings  of  a stream  which  ran,  wrapped  in 
the  glory  of  the  waning  sun,  like  a belt  of  gold, 
dividing  the  valleys,  and  girdling  the  far-off  mountain 
sides. 

As  the  day  declined  the  hills  seemed  to  melt  and 
merge  into  the  fiery  clouds  ; deep  shadows  shot  across 
the  path,  swallowing  up  the  woody  chasms,  and 
warning  us  that  night  was  near  at  hand.  Darkness 
had  already  set  in  before  we  arrived  at  our  destination. 
‘ Spot  ’ had  proceeded  on,  and  his  appearance  had 
brought  out  a venerable  bonze,  who  almost  without 
question,  suspended  the  evening  reckoning  of  his  sins 


MONASTERY  OF  THE  1 SNOWY  CREV/CE. 


on  his  rosary,  and  lit  us  to  our  quarters  in  a large  block 
of  buildings  behind.  The  apartment  assigned  to  us 
was  a plastered,  white-washed  chamber,  built  out  of 
pine  wood,  and  containing  a magnificent  hardwood  bed, 
one  of  the  finest,  and  certainly  the  hardest  (excepting 
one  or  two  made  of  downright  brick),  that  I came 
across  in  my  travels.  After  intimating  that  foreign 
wine  was  much  better  than  any  of  his  country’s  liquors, 
our  old  guide  took  his  leave.  We  were  not  long,  how- 
ever, in  finding  our  way  to  the  kitchen  for  ourselves, 
and  there  the  boys  kindled  a fire,  while  I had  a smoke 
with  the  monks.  Among  these  recluses  was  a fine- 
looking  jovial  fellow,  like  a friar  of  the  olden  time,  one 
of  those  who  understood,  not  the  culture  of  the  grape 
only,  but  the  use  of  its  wine  as  well ; less  remarkable, 
perhaps,  than  he  ought  to  have  been,  for  the  rigid 
austerities  of  his  order,  and  rather  an  afifecter  of  that 
milder  discipline  which  tolerates  occasional  excesses, 
such  as  are  not  altogether  unfamiliar  to  some  members 
of  the  Buddhist  fraternity  in  Cathay. 

The  monastery  of  the  1 Snowy  Crevice  ’ reposes,  far 
from  the  haunts  of  men  and  the  tumult  of  cities,  in  a 
broad,  fertile  valley,  part  of  the  imperial  patrimony 
upon  which  its  members  subsist.  It  has,  of  course,  a 
miraculous  history  ; and,  like  many  similar  establish- 
ments, is  popularly  supposed  to  be  extremely  ancient. 
Probably  it  was  erected  in  pre-historic  times.  One  of 
the  stories  connected  with  the  place  is,  that  in  1 264  a.d. 
the  Emperor  Li-tang  dreamed  a dream  about  the 
temple,  and  named  it  accordingly  1 The  famous  Hall 
of  Dreams.’  This  formed  one  of  the  most  important 
events  in  its  annals,  for  the  dream  was  followed  by 
substantial  gifts.  There  is  another  legend  which  tells 


422 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


us  of  an  anchorite,  and  of  an  Emperor  who  essayed  in 
vain  to  slay  the  Holy  Man.  At  last  the  monarch  fell 
down  and  worshipped  the  priest,  for  he  had  never 
before  come  across  a being  whom  he  could  not  slay. 
This  Emperor  was  distinguished  for  his  wise  rule,  and 
had  just  put  a million  of  the  common  sort  of  his  sub- 
jects to  death  ; but  he  was,  at  that  time,  athirst  for  some 
victim  of  rarer  eminence,  and  sanctity,  than  any  of  those 
whom  he  had  already  brought  to  their  end.  He 
died  at  last  a pious  priest,  and  left  some  suitable  gifts 
behind  him,  too. 

Something  like  this  is  not  unknown  even  at  the 
present  time.  There  are  monks,  I am  told,  in  those 
places,  who  have  passed  their  lives  in  crime,  and  who 
find  it  expedient  to  retire  to  these  choice  retreats 
(making  them  places  of  refuge  like  the  temples  of  the 
ancient  Jews  and  Greeks)  to  die  pleasantly  chanting 
‘ Omita-Foh  ! ’ 

Such  holy  ones,  rescued  from  the  grasp  of  justice 
and  the  jaws  of  the  pit,  take  good  care,  nevertheless, 
to  live  as  long  as  they  can.  Many  of  the  Buddhists 
are  doubtless  good  and  true  men,  if  judged  by  the  laws 
of  their  own  faith  ; and  the  majority  of  them,  whom  I 
came  across,  I found  hospitable  and  kind  to  strangers. 
They  seldom  failed,  however,  to  let  me  know  if  the 
presents  I chanced  to  give  them  were  not  quite  equal 
to  those  which  other  visitors  had  bestowed. 

Early  next  morning  a mute  and  aged  monk  con- 
ducted me  to  view  the  ‘Thousand-fathom  Precipice.’ 
A heavy  cloud  was  hanging  like  a pall  over  the  scene 
as  I followed  the  guide  along  a mountain  path  ; and  the 
trees  above  and  in  front  of  us  loomed  out  like  dark 
spectres,  groping  with  their  long  arms  through  the 


THE  DPEAM.  ( Chinese  Drawing) 


‘ THOUSAND-FATHOM  PRECIPICE.' 


423 


mist.  My  companion  was  apparently  in  haste,  and  as 
he  flitted  in  his  flowing  robes  along  the  road  in  front, 
he  seemed  like  a phantom  figure  projected  on  the 
cloud. 

At  length  we  reached  a summit  that  stood  out  bold 
and  clear,  though  still  wet  with  the  vapoury  rain  ; and 
there,  in  a small  rest-house  perched  upon  one  of  the 
rocks,  we  sat  down  to  listen  to  the  roar  of  the  fall  and 
the  foaming  torrent  beneath. 

The  monk  next  led  me  to  where,  clinging  to  a tree, 
I could  lean  over  the  edge  of  the  precipice  and  get  a 
look  right  down  into  the  abyss  ; but  there  was  nothing 
to  be  made  out  save  a sea  of  mist,  through  which  the 
deafening  roar  of  the  waters  could  be  heard  as  they 
leapt  from  rock  to  rock  in  their  descent  to  the  valley 
more  than  1,000  feet  below.  While  giving  way  to  the 
reverie  which  the  moving  scene  evoked,  I was  suddenly 
recalled  to  myself  by  a vulture  that  shot  out  from  the 
face  of  the  rock,  and  caught  a tiny  bird  as  it  hovered 
above  the  cloud.  Impressed  with  what  I had  just  seen, 
and  with  the  anticipations  of  that  which  I had  still  to 
see,  I found  my  way  back  to  the  monastery,  where 
breakfast  was  already  prepared. 

The  sun  then  gradually  shone  out,  and  by  its  aid 
we  descended  to  the  foot  of  the  fall  through  a steep 
shady  path,  and  secured  some  pictures  of  the  scenery. 
The  cataract  takes  a leap  of  about  500  feet,  and  then 
gushes  downwards  over  the  clefts  and  edges  like  the 
graceful  folds  of  a bridal  veil ; while  the  variously 
coloured  rocks  are  covered  with  ferns  and  flowering 
shrubs.  By  climbing  over  huge  boulders  and  beneath 
bamboo  groves,  I managed  to  reach  the  stone  basin 
below.  Here  the  spray  was  lit  up  with  countless  rain- 


424 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


bow  hues  ; and  the  ferns  that  leant  their  broad  leaves,  as 
it  were,  to  catch  the  burden  of  the  fall,  had  their  never- 
ceasing  toil  rewarded  by  showers  of  sparkling  gems. 

It  was  interesting  to  watch  the  monks  at  their 
refections  ; and  this  we  contrived  to  do  without  being 
noticed  ourselves.  We  found  them  always  scrupu- 
lously particular  in  observing  those  rules  of  Budd- 
hism by  which  the  duties  of  cleanliness  are  enforced. 
The  following  are  some  of  the  laws  which  regulate 
diet 1 : — 

‘ The  dinner  of  a priest  consists  of  seven  measures 
of  rice  mixed  with  flour,  the  tenth  of  a cubit  of  pastry, 
and  nearly  the  same  weight  of  bread.  To  eat  more  is 
cupidity,  to  eat  less  is  parsimony ; to  eat  vegetables  of 
any  kind  besides  these  dishes  is  not  permitted.’ 

The  last  injunction  is  by  no  means  commonly 
followed  in  China  : — 

* Then  the  priest  shall  offer  to  the  good  and  bad 
spirits,  and  repeat  five  prayers.  He  must  not  speak 
about  his  dinner,  nor  steal  food  like  a dog,  nor  scratch 
his  head,  nor  breathe  in  his  neighbour’s  face,  nor  speak 
with  his  mouth  full,  nor  laugh,  nor  joke,  nor  smack  in 
eating  ; and  if  he  should  happen  to  find  an  insect  in 
his  food  he  must  conceal  it  so  as  not  to  create  doubt  in 
the  minds  of  others.’ 

There  are  a host  of  other  very  good  rules  laid 
down  for  his  guidance  ; but  their  general  tendency  is  to 
make  a monk’s  dinner  the  most  solemn  and  most  un- 
social event  of  his  in  other  respects  too  dreary  day. 
When  we  look  through  the  Buddhist  laws  and  precepts, 
we  find  them  so  minute  and  so  wide-reaching,  that 

4 Laws  and  Regulations  of  the  Priesthood  of  Buddha,  in  China. 
Trans,  by  C.  F.  Newmann. 


SUNG-I  NO-DAY  FALL.  SNOWY  VALLEY 


BUDDHIST  MONKS. 


425 


they  hedge  the  priest  completely  round,  shutting  him 
out  from  the  gratification  of  his  most  natural  desires, 
and  rendering  it  indeed  uncertain  whether  any  per- 
fectly devout  and  faithful  Buddhists  can  possibly  exist 
in  China. 

It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  some  of  the  monks 
indulge  in  secret  potations  ; and  there  are  others  who 
smoke  opium  and  gamble ; while  their  covetousness, 
their  meanness,  and  as  a rule  the  extreme  dirtiness  of 
their  dress  and  habits,  are  patent  to  every  observer. 
Even  in  the  monastery  of  the  ‘ Snowy  Crevice,’  amid 
the  grandest  and  most  ennobling  scenery,  we  still 
discovered  practices  of  the  outer  world  which  had  not 
been  wholly  cast  aside  ; and  some  of  the  members  of 
the  order  who,  though  honest  enough,  had  still  a 
greedy  hankering  after  earthly  pelf,  and  were  dis- 
figured with  a few  other  weaknesses  which  they  took 
no  pains  to  conceal. 

Within  three  minutes’  walk  from  my  quarters  I dis- 
covered a natural  shower-bath,  with  a convenient  stone 
basin  in  which  I bathed  every  morning  ; and  if  we 
followed  the  stream  for  about  a mile  further  up  we 
came  upon  a second  great  fall,  known  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood as  the  Sung-ng-day,  and  approached  by  a 
bridge  of  a single  arch  concealed  by  a profusion  of 
creeping  plants.  The  water  at  this  fall  descends  into 
a deep  narrow  chasm,  while  groups  of  dull  dark  pines 
look  sombrely  over  the  brink  of  the  precipice  into  the 
dark  abyss  below. 

Far  beneath,  the  river  may  still  be  seen  winding 
along  a rough  and  broken  bed  : the  peaceful  cultivated 
hills  above,  and  the  rugged  foreground,  together 
presenting  a contrast  as  striking  as  it  is  rare. 


426 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


The  return  voyage,  to  Ningpo  and  Shanghai,  I 
must  pass  by  unrecorded,  that  I may  hurry  forward  to 
describe  my  journey  up  the  Yang-tsze  river  to  Sze- 
chuan. 

Having  dined  with  a literary  friend  in  Shanghai,  I 
returned  to  the  hotel  towards  midnight  January  13, 
1872,  and  there  found  my  boys  with  everything  in 
readiness,  and  a gang  of  coolies  waiting  to  bear  our 
baggage  on  board  the  ‘Fusiyama,’  which  was  getting 
up  steam  for  Hankow.  It  was  a bitter  night,  and  the 
scene  was  as  dark  and  gloomy  as  the  wind  was  cold. 
The  lamps  blinked  and  shivered  as  the  blast  swept  by, 
and  a thousand  lanterns  of  ships  and  steamers,  gleaming 
dimly  in  the  distance,  shot  long  shafts  of  broken  light 
down  the  chill  black  river  beneath.  The  ships’  bells 
tinkled  the  midnight  hour,  and  then  the  Chinese 
watchmen  woke  from  their  first  slumbers  to  beat  their 
bamboo  clappers.  The  bund  was  deserted  ; only 
some  stray  woman  would  now  and  again  emerge  from 
the  darkness,  and  then  be  swallowed  up  once  more, 
like  a sinful  victim  in  the  jaws  of  night. 

W e soon  passed  on  to  the  ‘ F usiyama  ’ across  the 
floating  landing-stage  alongside  of  which  she  was 
moored.  She  was  a fine  steamer,  although  by  no 
means  the  finest  among  the  S.  S.  N.  Co’s,  fleet. 
There  were  many  passengers  on  board,  bound  for  the 
open  ports  on  the  Yang-tsze.  One,  an  American, 
seemed  to  be  a man  of  great  versatility  of  talent.  He 
informed  us  that  in  his  own  country  he  had  followed  a 
number  of  different  occupations.  ‘ If  a man  fails  in 
one  calling,’  he  remarked,  ‘ that  is  the  very  best 
reason  why  he  should  try  his  hand  at  something  else, 
until  he  discovers  the  drift  of  his  genius.’  Accordingly 


HANKO IV 


427 


he  had  himself  started  first  of  all  with  a friend  and  ran 
a saw-mill : but  that  concern  ran  down  one  morning. 
He  tried  to  wind  it  up,  but  ‘ it  wouldn’t  go  no  how  ! ' 
Left  then  without  a ‘ red  cent,’  he  took  to  railways  ; 
got  to  be  conductor  of  a train,  and  went  through  three 
smashes,  ‘ and  the  best  of  it  was  it  warn’t  no  fault  of 
mine.’  ‘ The  last  was  a big  thing ; it  mashed  up 
twenty-five  passengers,  and  the  cars  ran  into  each 
other  like  tubes  ; so  I hauled  out  of  that,  and  took  to 
mining,  and  made  a pretty  good  thing;  then  here  I am, 
to  try  my  fortune  in  trade.’ 

Reserving  what  I may  have  to  say  about  Nanking 
and  the  ports  on  the  lower  Yang-tsze,  I will  transport 
the  reader  at  once,  about  600  miles  higher  up  to 
Hankow,  the  furthest  point  on  the  Yangtsze  river  to 
which  steam  navigation  has  been  carried.  Hankow 
holds  an  important  position,  at  the  confluence  of  the 
rivers  Han  and  Yang-tsze.  The  ancient  name  of  the 
Han  river  was  the  Mien,  and  its  course,  as  well  as  the 
point  at  which  it  joins  the  Yang-tsze,  have  been  sub- 
jected to  frequent  change.  It  was  only  in  the  last 
decade  of  the  fifteenth  century  that  the  river  created  its 
present  channel,  and  at  the  same  time  the  advan- 
tageous site  to  which  Hankow  owes  no  little  portion 
of  her  prosperity.  The  early  trade  of  the  district  was 
confined  to  Hanyang,  a place  described  as  a flourishing 
port  at  the  remote  period  treated  of  in  the  ‘ History  of 
the  Three  States.’  Hanyang  is  now  taken  up  chiefly 
with  official  residences,  though  its  suburbs  are  still  the 
resort  of  a considerable  native  trade. 

Hankow  flourished  under  the  rule  of  the  Mings, 
and  does  not  seem  to  have  suffered  greatly  during 
the  disasters  which  attended  their  fall.  It  was  then 


428 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


known  as  the  great  mart,  in  fact  the  commercial  centre 
of  the  Empire ; and  was  the  resort  of  traders  from  the 
furthest  north,  and  from  the  southernmost  provinces 
Kiang-su  and  Yunan.  Most  of  the  provinces  indeed 
were  represented  there  by  guilds,  whose  halls  are  still 
famous  for  their  size  and  decoration.  During  Kien- 
loong’s  time  the  prosperity  of  Hankow  continued  to 
advance  until  the  disastrous  epoch  of  the  Taiping 
rebellion.  Then  the  decay  was  as  rapid  as  the  ruin 
was  complete  ; and  finally,  in  1855,  the  whole  city  was 
burned  to  the  ground. 

After  the  Taipingshad  been  expelled  from  Hupeh, 
Hankow  rose  once  more  out  of  its  ashes,  and  in  1861 
the  final  arrangements  for  a concession  of  land  to  the 
British  Crown  were  carried  into  effect.  The  hoisting 
of  the  English  colours  was  followed  at  once  by  a 
splendid  settlement,  erected  on  a very  unfortunate  site. 
The  land  was  bought  up  in  small  lots  at  2,500  taels 
each,  and  enormous  sums  were  squandered,  to  no  pur- 
pose, before  it  was  discovered  that  the  spot  chosen  for 
a foreign  settlement  was  exposed  to  constant  inunda- 
tions of  the  most  destructive  kind.  Thus,  in  the  year 
before  my  arrival,  the  flood,  which  is  always  looked 
forward  to  as  the  event  of  the  season,  bestowed  its  fer- 
tilising favours  with  no  grudging  hand ; and  indeed 
there  was  no  foretelling  to  what  height  the  waters, 
which  had  already  swept  away  entire  suburbs  from  the 
cities  higher  up  stream,  might  deluge  the  vicinity  of 
Hankow.  Well,  first  of  all,  it  rose  slowly  until  it 
had  submerged  its  banks ; thence  it  made  excursions 
along  the  outlying  streets ; crept  up  like  a silent 
foe  till  it  had  breasted  the  fortifications  ; and  finally 
made  the  captured  settlement  over  to  a sort  of 


ANNUAL  INUNDATIONS.  429 

watery  sack.  The  inhabitants  retreated  to  their  garret 
fastnesses,  while  pigs,  poultry,  and  even  cattle,  were 
sheltered  in  boats,  or  found  refuge  in  the  bedrooms,  on 
the  upper  floors.  At  any  rate,  it  was  a convenience  to 
‘ Paterfamilias  ’ to  have  his  milch-cow  next  door  to  his 
nursery,  and  chanticleer  perched  upon  a friendly  bed  - 
post to  screech  the  approach  of  day.  But  when  the 
novelty  of  these  domestic  arrangements  had  worn  off, 
and  when  the  richly-papered  walls  began  to  weep 
through  a lace  work  of  fungus,  and  the  limbs  of  the 
polished  furniture  to  show  symptoms  of  dissolution  ; 
when  the  silken  hangings  grew  mildewed  and  pale,  and 
the  boundary  walls  tottered  and  sunk  with  a dull 
splash  into  the  red  stream,  the  dire  insecurity  of  the 
position,  and  the  dread  of  impending  disaster,  pressed 
heavily  upon  the  despondent  inhabitants.  But,  with  a 
truly  philosophic  spirit,  they  made  the  best  of  events. 
The  halls  and  staircases  became  really  admirable  docks 
and  landing-stages,  where  visitors  might  disembark, 
and  a dining  or  drawing-room  made  a much  better 
plunge-bath  than  one  could  have  imagined.  Bachelors, 
too,  while  they  indulged  in  a morning  swim,  could  call 
at  the  bank,  to  enquire  the  rate  of  exchange,  or  dive 
to  their  breakfast  beneath  the  doorway  of  some  hospi- 
table friend.  At  length  the  water  reached  its  height ; 
and  then,  to  the  relief  of  all,  began  slowly  to  recede.  It 
is  apprehended  that  but  for  a back  wall  (erected  originally 
by  the  Chinese  Government  at  a cost  of  80,000/.  as  a 
protection  against  organised  raids  from  the  banditti  of 
the  plain),  which  acted  as  a breakwater,  the  entire 
settlement  might  have  been  swept  into  the  Yang-tsze  by 
the  strong  reflux  currents  from  the  Han. 

The  business  at  Hankow  has  never  come  near  the 


430 


IN  DO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


anticipations  of  the  Europeans  who  flocked  thither 
when  the  place  was  opened  ; but  nevertheless,  as  the 
centre  of  the  districts  which  produce  the  Congou  teas, 
it  must  always  secure  a very  important  share  of  foreign 
commerce.  The  total  value  of  the  trade  in  foreign 
shipping  was  reported  to  be  about  14,000,000/.  in  1871, 
while  in  1873  it  appears  to  have  fallen  off ; but  this 
was  owing  to  a sort  of  commercial  stagnation  which 
has  been  felt  all  over  China. 

The  Taotai  of  Hankow,  Ti-ming-chih,  who  furnished 
me  with  a passport  for  the  upper  Yang-tsze,  and  whom  I 
had  twice  the  pleasure  of  meeting,  had  been  born  in  the 
province  of  Kiangsu,  and  commenced  his  official  career 
at  the  age  of  thirty  by  an  appointment  to  a modest 
clerkship.  From  this  his  abilities  advanced  him  step 
by  step,  until  he  attained  his  present  position,  where 
he  has  earned  a high  reputation  by  his  just,  mild,  and 
intelligent  rule. 

Woochang  city,  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river, 
presents  a picturesque  appearance,  due  partly  to  the 
elevated  ground  on  which  it  stands,  and  partly  to  its 
celebrated  tower,  which  tradition  reports  to  have  been 
first  set  up  there  1,300  years  ago.  This  tower  was 
overthrown  by  the  followers  of  the  ‘Heavenly  King’ 
during  the  Taiping  rebellion,  and  has  only  been  rebuilt 
and-finished  within  the  last  four  years.  It  is  quite  un- 
like the  ordinary  Chinese  pagoda,  and  from  its  peculiar 
design  runs  no  risk  of  ever  being  mistaken  for  any  other 
monument. 

During  the  journey  to  the  upper  Yang-tsze,  which  I 
now  propose  to  describe,  I had  two  American  gentle- 
men for  my  companions.  Two  native  boats  were 
secured,  and  we  engaged  them  to  carry  us  to  I chang. 


ON  THE  YANG-TSZE. 


43i 


Into  the  smaller  of  these  craft  we  stowed  the  cook  and 
servants,  reserving  the  larger  one  for  our  baggage  and 
ourselves.  Our  boat  was  divided  into  three  compart- 
ments with  well-carved  bulkheads  between.  The  fore- 
cabin  was  taken  up  by  a boy  to  wait  on  us,  and  by  our 
newly-appointed  Chinese  secretary  ‘ Chang  ’ (who  was 
in  no  way  related  to  the  giant  of  that  name).  This 
secretary  was  a small  compact  man,  full  of  Chinese 
lore  and  self-satisfied  complacency.  The  ‘ central  state 
room  ’ was  our  own,  while  Captain  Wang  and  his  wife 
found  shelter  in  the  after-cabin.  Besides  this  there 
was  an  ample  hold,  which  contained  our  baggage,  our 
provisions,  and  our  crew. 

We  left  Hankow  about  mid-day  on  January  29, 
1872;  but  as  there  was  no  wind,  we  had  to  pole  our 
way  through  thousands  of  native  boats,  and  anchor  for 
the  night  at  Ta-tuen-shan,  only  ten  miles  above  the 
town.  A hard  frost  set  in  during  the  evening,  and  it 
seemed  quite  impossible  to  keep  the  intense  cold  out 
of  our  quarters. 

To  make  matters  worse,  the  skipper  and  his  spouse 
smoked  stale  tobacco  half  through  the  night,  and  the 
fumes  came  through  the  bulkhead  and  filled  my  sleeping- 
bunk.  Next  day  we  set  to  work  with  paper  and  paste 
to  cure  both  evils  by  patching  up  every  crevice,  and  by 
fixing  up  a stove  which  had  been  lent  us  by  friends  for 
the  voyage.  These  preparations  were  a source  of  dis- 
quietude to  Mrs.  Wang,  who  turned  out  to  be  a tartar 
more  desperate  even  than  the  lady  of  the  Min. 

The  boatmen  were  a miserably  poor  lot.  They 
neither  changed  their  clothes  nor  washed  their  bodies 
during  the  entire  trip  ; and  ‘ Why  should  they  ? ’ said 
Chang  the  secretary  ; they  could  only  change  their 


432 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


garments  with  one  another.  They  have  but  a single 
suit  apiece,  and  that  too,  some  of  them,  only  on  loan  for 
the  winter  months.  Their  clothes  were  padded  with 
cotton,  and  formed  their  habiliments  by  day  and  their 
bedding  by  night.  Poor  souls,  how  they  crept  together, 
and  huddled  into  the  hold ! and  what  an  odour  rose 
from  their  retreat  in  the  morning,  for  they  had  smoked 
themselves  to  sleep  with  tobacco,  or  those  of  them 
who  could  afford  it,  with  opium.  It  was  always  a 
difficult  matter  to  get  then;  up  and  out  on  deck  to  face 
the  cold.  I confess  I never  cared  to  be  the  first  to  lift 
the  hatch.  But  the  voice  of  Mrs.  Wang  is  equal  to 
the  occasion.  She  shakes  those  sluggards  from  their 
rest  with  her  strident  tones ; she  stamps  in  her  cabin, 
and  ‘ slings  slang  ’ at  them,  like  the  foulest  missiles.  At 
last,  at  about  seven  o’clock,  they  may  be  seen  unwillingly 
turning  to  and  hauling  up  the  anchor  not  more  slow- 
moving  than  themselves.  As  it  happened,  we  had  a 
fair  wind ; the  sails  were  set,  and  we  bounded  on 
briskly  up  the  chocolate-coloured  stream  between  banks 
that  stood  up  high  above  us  and  were  furrowed  with 
the  lines  of  age. 

We  made  a good  day’s  run,  but  the  iron  stove 
seemed  to  be  a failure,  or  at  any  rate  our  coal  would 
not  burn.  It  took  us  half  a day  of  hard  work  to  turn 
‘ Farmer’s  Bend,’  although  one  might  easily  walk  across 
the  neck  of  land  which  divides  the  two  extremities  of 
the  curve  in  a single  quarter  of  an  hour.  A canal  cut 
across  here  would  be  a great  saving  in  the  river  navi- 
gation. We  noticed  many  timber  rafts  from  the  Tung- 
Ting  lake,  looking  like  floating  villages,  and  indeed 
they  are  neither  more  nor  less  than  hamlets.  Each  on 
its  floating  substructure  of  timber  supported  two  rows 


MRS.  WANG. 


433 


of  huts,  and  in  these  dwelt  the  little  colonies  of  China- 
men who  had  invested  their  time,  labour,  and  small 
capital  in  the  trade.  When  the  rafts  reach  Hankow, 
these  huts  are  lifted  off  and  placed  on  the  river’s  bank ; 
the  owners  residing  inside  them  till  all  their  wood  has 
been  disposed  of.  If  ever  steamers  are  seen  even  thus 
far  up  the  Yangtsze  river  (46  miles  above  Hankow), 
experienced  pilots  would  be  required;  especially  at  this 
season,  when  the  water  is  at  its  lowest ; and  it  might 
perhaps  be  necessary  even,  to  survey  the  stream  annu- 
ally, for  its  channel  tends  constantly  to  shift.  At 
Paitsow,  where  we  anchored  for  the  night,  we  found 
men  manufacturing  bamboo  cables.  They  had  no  rope- 
walks,  but  only  high  temporary-looking  scaffoldings, 
with  some  men  above  and  others  below,  making  and 
twisting  the  thick  strands. 

Next  morning  the  skipper’s  wife,  and  the  crew, 
got  through  a good  deal  of  bad  language  between  them 
before  we  made  a start.  The  conversation  was  a shrill- 
toned  one,  and  alternated  between  Mrs.  Wang  in  her 
cabin  at  one  end  of  the  boat,  and  the  crew  in  the  hold 
at  the  other.  The  latter  objected  to  turn  out  until 
their  captain  was  at  his  post.  This  difficulty  the  gentle 
wife  settled  ultimately,  by  kicking  her  husband  out  of 
bed  on  to  the  deck,  hurling  torrents  of  abuse  at  his 
unhappy  head,  and  supplementing  those  delicate  atten- 
tions by  a plentiful  supply  of  cooking  utensils. 

Let  the  reader  imagine  himself  afloat  in  such  a 
vessel  as  I have  described,  with  such  a crew,  on  a river 
red  like  the  soil  through  which  it  flows,  and  from  half  a 
mile  to  a league  in  breadth  ; let  him  conceive  himself 
ascending  the  stream  between  low  level  monotonous 
clay  walls ; he  will  then  have  a picture  of  our  craft 


434 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  our  surroundings  for  many  days  as  we  pursued  our 
voyage  upward  to  the  Gorges. 

We  breakfasted  and  dined,  anchored  and  slept, 
surveying  the  river  as  well  as  we  could,  and  here  and 
there  marking  out  sundry  sandbanks  and  other  barriers 
to  commerce,  formed  since  the  one  and  only  chart  of 
the  river  had  been  made. 

We  had  chosen  our  opportunity  well.  There  can 


OUR  NATIVE  BOAT 


be  no  better  time  for  examining  the  features  of  a river 
than  when  it  is  at  its  lowest,  and  the  Yang-tsze  was  now 
running  far  below  its  banks,  which  in  summer  are  com 
pletely  submerged.  But  our  careful  soundings,  our 
notes  of  bearings,  and  our  chart-projecting,  need  find 
no  record  here.  Their  very  sameness  grew  wearisome 
at  last ; but,  as  for  our  secretary,  he  would  have  been 


CHANG. 


435 


quite  willing  to  sail  on  until  he  had  digested  the  whole 
of  the  ancient  classics,  drinking  our  wine,  and  smoking 
our  cheroots  as  frequently  as  they  were  offered.  He 
had  marvellous  raiment,  Chang ! A padded  robe  of 
classic  cut,  with  sleeves  reaching  down  to  his  knees, 
and  a collar  that  stood  up  like  a fortress  around  his 
spare  neck.  When  in  a corner,  seated  at  study,  he 
looked  like  a huge  bolster  surmounted  by  a tiny  cap. 
He  would  remain  in  this  posture  for  hours,  with  his 
eyes  closed,  and  audibly  rehearsing  whole  books  of 
classic  lore ; but  he  had  also  a good  deal  of  accurate 
information  about  the  country,  and  was  extremely 
polite  in  his  manner,  and  willing  to  make  himself 
useful. 

It  was  a mistake  having  two  boats  ; their  unequal 
sailing  powers  caused  grievous  delays — delays  which 
the  servants  and  cook  readily  turned  to  account  in 
explaining  all  sorts  of  shortcomings,  and  which  con- 
tributed greatly  to  the  leisure  and  enjoyment  of  the 
crews,  who  were  paid  by  the  day. 

On  the  23rd  we  passed  the  point  where  the  ‘ Ta- 
Kiang’ — or  great  river — is  joined  by  the  stream  from 
the  ‘ Tung-Ting’  lake.  At  this  place  there  were  abun- 
dant evidences  of  considerable  trade  in  the  fleets  of 
boats  we  continually  passed.  The  river,  in  some  of  the 
long  reaches  hereabouts,  would  be  dangerous  for  steam 
navigation,  at  any  rate  during  the  months  when  the 
banks  are  submerged.  Hence  suitable  landmarks  would 
have  to  be  erected,  as  not  a single  tree,  shrub  or  knoll, 
can  at  such  times  be  seen  for  many  miles  around.  All  the 
shoals  at  this  (the  winter)  season  are  well  defined,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  two  reefs  of  rocks  which  stand 
well  clear  of  the  water,  consist  of  soft  mud  and  sand, 


436 


1ND  O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  occur  just  at  the  bends,  where  anyone  accustomed 
to  river  navigation  would  expect  to  find  them.  Where  - 
ever  the  current  struck  upon  the  clay,  a good  channel 
was  almost  invariably  to  be  found. 

On  the  24th  we  ascended  a small  rapid  which  ran 
about  five  knots,  and  were  detained  by  a snow-storm 
for  about  six  hours.  The  little  hamlets  we  passed,  or 
anchored  at,  day  after  day,  were  temporary  miserable- 
looking  settlements,  conveying  the  idea  of  a thinly- 
peopled  country  ; and  the  inhabitants  wore  the  poverty- 
stricken  look  only  too  common  in  other  parts  of  China. 
We  have  walked  over  the  country,  and  along  the  banks, 
for  nearly  half  a day  without  encountering  a single 
individual. 

At  many  places  the  river  had  undermined  the  banks, 
and  these  were  falling  in  in  great  blocks  eight  or  ten 
feet  wide  ; and  there  was  one  point  where  we  noticed 
that  the  stream  was  cutting  out  the  heart  of  an  old 
settlement,  for  there  were  old  foundations  of  houses 
exposed,  and  many  coffins  protruding  from  the  bank. 

On  the  27th  we  reached  Shang-chai-wan,  and  re- 
marked that  the  banks  in  front  of  an  old  pagoda  there 
had  been  carefully  faced  up  with  stones.  Thus  a use- 
ful sort  of  landmark  was  well  protected  from  the 
inroads  of  the  stream,  while  the  houses  were  left  to  be 
swept  away  as  the  bank  fell  in. 

This  village  indicated  some  slight  degree  of  pros- 
perity, and  presented  a pretty  winter’s  scene.  A row 
of  leafless  trees  stretched  out  their  white  arms  against 
the  leaden  sky.  The  roofs  of  the  houses  and  the 
sloping  banks  were  covered  with  snow,  while  the  red 
light  of  reed  fires  gleamed  through  the  open  doorways, 
and  sparkled  in  the  oyster-shell  windows.  There  was 


FRIENDLY  ADVICE. 


437 


no  one  astir,  not  a footprint  stained  the  pure  white 
mantle  in  which  the  soil  was  wrapt ; only  on  one  level 
patch  the  leaves  of  a winter  crop  shot  up  in  rows,  and 
formed  a pale  green  pattern  on  a snowy  ground.  A 
little  further  on  was  the  town  of  ‘ Shang-chai-wan,’ 
where  our  boys  went  ashore  and  spent  half  a day  in  a 
vain  search  for  coal.  Then  the  crew  had  to  be  hunted 
up  all  over  the  place,  and  one  by  one  the  men  dropped 
in,  each  with  as  much  samshu  as  he  could  hold  inside 
him,  or  else  stupified  with  opium.  Capt.  Wang  we 
found  in  a filthy  alley,  enjoying  the  nectar  of  a grog- 
shop, amid  a group  of  natives  and  half-a-dozen  enor- 
mous pigs,  that  seemed  to  be  listening  with  a lively 
interest  to  the  conversation  about  foreigners  and  their 
ways.  The  natives  were  civil  enough.  Few  of  them 
had  ever  set  eyes  upon  a genuine  white  man  before, 
and  all  made  numerous  good-natured  enquiries  about 
our  relations,  and  our  clothes  ; one  old  man  even  sug- 
gested that  our  faces  and  hands  had  only  acquired  a 
pale  colour  through  the  use  of  some  wonderful  cosmetic, 
and  that  our  bodies  were  black  as  sin.  I bared  my 
arm  to  refute  this  calumny,  and  its  white  skin  was 
touched  by  many  a rough  finger,  and  awoke  universal 
admiration.  Not  knowing  exactly  what  our  barbarous 
views  of  decency  might  be,  we  were  kindly  recom- 
mended by  an  unwashed,  but  polished  member  of  the 
community,  not  to  gratify  vulgar  curiosity  by  stripping 
entirely,  as  we  had  already  completely  satisfied  the 
more  intelligent  members  of  the  crowd. 

The  reader  can  easily  gather,  from  such  incidents  as 
these,  what  depraved  notions  some  of  the  Chinese 
must  entertain  about  ourselves,  and  our  customs.  They 
always  seem  to  feel  that  we  have  a great  deal  to  learn  ; 


43* 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  merest  coolie,  if  he  be  a kindly-disposed  person, 
will  readily  place  his  knowledge  at  our  service,  and  put 
us  in  the  way  of  picking  up  something  of  a purer 
Chinese  civilisation.  I have  in  my  possession  one  of 
the  valuable  works  upon  which  this  popular  belief  is 
fed.  It  is  a sort  of  ethnological  treatise,  written  down 
to  the  limited  comprehension  of  facts,  and  to  the  in- 
ordinate craving  for  fable,  which  characterise  the  lower 
classes  among  this  highly  superstitious  nation.  The 
author  gravely  describes  races  of  men  who,  like  our- 
selves, live  on  the  outer  edges  of  the  world,  that  is 
outside  the  benign  influence  of  Chinese  rule.  Some 
are  very  hairy  men,  clothed  with  leaves  ; others  hop 
about  on  one  leg  ; while  others  again  are  adorned  with 
the  claws  of  birds.  There  is  one  very  singular  tribe 
indeed.  These  have  only  a single  huge  eye  in  the 
forehead,  while  the  women  carry  a multitude  of  breasts. 
There  are  men,  too,  with  big  holes  through  their  bodies 
above  the  region  of  the  heart,  so  that  they  may  be 
spitted  like  herrings,  or  carried  about  on  poles ; and 
lastly,  there  is  one  community  more  gifted  still,  for  they 
can  fly  through  the  air  with  wings. 

An  old  man  at  Shang-chai-wan  came  down  the 
bank  to  our  boats  to  sell  sweets.  His  hands,  feet,  and 
head  seemed  to  be  sticking  through  an  ancient  bed- 
quilt,  rendered  waterproof  by  a glossy  coating  of  dirt. 
W e sent  some  of  his  wares  to  the  natives  as  a parting 
gift. 

It  was  at  this  place,  too,  that  our  writer  Chang, 
who  said  he  was  suffering  from  cold,  dispatched  one  of 
the  boatmen  ashore  to  buy  a bottle  of  samshu.  The 
trust  which  he  displayed  in  the  integrity  of  the  messen- 
ger was  no  less  marvellous  than  touching.  ‘ I do  not 


AN  OFFICIAL  VISIT. 


439 


know  how  much  there  is  here,’  said  he,  as  he  placed 
his  purse  in  the  boatman’s  hands  ; ‘ but  take  what  you 
require,  and  put  back  the  rest.’  Just  before,  however, 
I had  noticed  the  crafty  rogue  carefully  count  the  cash 
in  this  very  purse,  which,  as  it  turned  out,  contained 
no  more  than  exactly  sufficient  for  the  purchase. 

On  the  29th,  when  passing  a customs  station,  we 
were  pursued  and  overtaken  by  a fiery  official,  who 
came  on  board,  received  a cigar  and  a glass  of  wine, 
and  went  away  greatly  impressed  with  our  respectability. 
We  also  sailed  by  a large  cotton-junk  lying  wrecked 
on  the  bank,  and  a second  one  which  had  run  aground 
where  the  water  was  deeper,  and  whose  owners  were 
now  living  in  a mud  hole,  waiting  till  the  river  should 
rise  hiodi  enough  to  float  their  craft.  ‘ Three  blank 

o o 

uninteresting  days,  with  a few  temporary  huts  at  long 
intervals.’  is  the  next  entry  in  my  journal. 

At  Shi-show-hien  we  bought  a quantity  of  fish  ; 
among  them  was  one  described  by  Captain  Blakiston, 
which  carries  a sword  above  its  wide  toothless  mouth. 
This  sword  it  is  said  to  use  for  boring  into  the  soft 
mud  to  dislodge  the  tiny  fish,  which  thereupon  rush  for 
shelter  down  its  dark  capacious  throat.  The  stomach 
of  the  specimen  we  purchased  contained  one  or  two  of 
these  half- digested  mud-fish.  Its  colour,  from  the 
spine  half  way  down  to  the  belly,  was  dark  blue  or 
slate  ; the  belly  was  white  ; the  tail  and  fins  were  white 
and  red.  Length  from  point  of  sword  to  tip  of  tail 
4 feet  2 inches ; length  of  sword  14  inches. 

Shi-show-hien  was  formerly  held  by  the  rebels. 
Here  they  built  a fortress,  whose  ruins  may  still  be 
seen.  We  were  now  within  sight  of  the  hill  ranges  in 
the  province  of  Hunan,  and  on  one  hill,  close  at  hand, 

32 


440 


1ND  0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


stood  a temple  called  the  ‘ Ti-tai-shan,’  which  forms  a 
striking  land-mark  for  river  navigation.  Above  this 
point  many  islands  and  shoals  occurred,  and  the 
channel,  too,  grew  shallow  and  intricate,  again  showing 
the  need  for  frequent  surveys,  as  the  condition  of  the 
bed  at  one  season  is  no  guide  to  what  we  might  find 
it  in  the  succeeding  year.  The  changes  which  have 
taken  place  since  our  Admiralty  chart  was  laid  down 
renders  that  map  comparatively  useless,  both  for  this 
and  other  parts  of  the  river,  at  any  rate  when  the 
waters  are  low. 

At  a large  village  where  we  made  a halt,  some  ten 
miles  below  the  town  of  Shasze,  we  fell  in  with  a 
hawker,  and  purchased  some  of  his  wares.  For  these, 
when  the  payment  was  to  be  made,  he  demanded  about 
three  times  their  value.  At  first  we  declined  to  pay 
the  amount,  but  the  independent  old  impostor  came  on 
board  and  would  not  budge.  A crowd  collected,  and 
the  respectable  members  decided  in  our  favour,  advis- 
ing us  to  drop  Shylock  overboard,  or  bear  him  in 
captivity  away.  With  a determination  worthy  of  some 
nobler  cause,  our  feeble  oppressor  agreed  to  suffer 
death  rather  than  forego  his  advantage.  So  we  paid 
him  the  money,  in  order  to  keep  the  peace,  whereat 
the  old  villain  laughed  heartily  when  he  got  ashore, 
and  firmly  expressed  his  opinion  that,  after  all,  we  were 
nothing  more  than  foolish  foreign  devils.  This  mani- 
festation of  ill-feeling  was  in  itself  sufficient  to  denote 
that  we  were  drawing  near  a big  town. 

‘ Shasze  ’ stands  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yang-tsze 
river,  which  is  here  more  than  a mile  and  a half  broad 
with  a deep  roomy  channel,  and  we  may  gather  from 
the  crowd  of  native  shipping  that  lie  anchored  off  the 


COAL. 


441 


town,  or  close  to  its  fine  stone  embankment,  that  we 
have  reached  an  important  centre  of  trade. 

This  embankment  terminates, at  its  upper  end,  in  a sort 
of  bulwark,  crowned  with  the  finest  pagoda  to  be  found 
anywhere  along  this  river.  Immense  labour  has  been 
bestowed  in  fortifying  this  site  against  the  undermining 
influence  of  the  current;  and  the  town  is  placed  at  such 
an  angle  on  the  stream,  that  the  action  of  the  water 
always  keeps  a clear  channel,  close  to  its  strong  stone- 
retaining  wall.  Stone  is  freely  used  in  this  part  of  the 
upper  Yang-tsze,  and  is  readily  obtainable  in  unlimited 
supplies  in  the  gorges  above  the  town.  At  Shasze, 
landing-stages  for  steamers  might  be  made  at  almost 
any  part  of  the  bank,  while  there  are  splendid  sites  for 
a foreien  settlement  on  the  hills  across  the  stream. 

Coal  abounds  in  Hunan  and  Szechuan,  and  yet 
we  found  it  difficult  to  procure.  In  the  former  province, 
it  is  worked  at  two  places  only,  Tsang-yang-hien  and 
Pa-tung-hien,  and  there  to  an  extremely  limited  degree  ; 
but  in  Szechuan  there  is  a good  deal  more  coal-mining 
going  on.  The  coal  is  of  good  quality,  in  every  way 
suitable  for  steam  purposes — at  least,  the  samples 
which  we  collected  were  first-rate. 

After  passing  one  or  two  small  towns,  where  the 
people  were  better  dressed  and  more  prosperous-look- 
ing than  we  had  found  them  lower  down  stream,  we 
arrived  on  February  3 at  the  town  of  ‘ Kiang-kow.’ 
Here  the  men  struck  work,  as  they  wished  to  go 
ashore  for  what  they  called  rice,  but  which  Chang 
interpreted  as  wine.  We  offered  to  supply  them  with 
rice  ; but  that  they  would  not  accept,  demanding  an 
advance  of  money,  and  leave  of  absence  to  spend  it. 
This  we  stedfastly  refused  to  concede,  and  threat- 


442 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ened  to  cut  off  their  captain’s  pay  unless  he  brought 
his  men  to  terms.  The  mutineers  next  hauled  in  the 
sails,  and  sat  themselves  down  for  a smoke  ; but  in 
about  an  hour,  seeing  no  prospect  of  our  yielding,  the 
skipper  consulted  his  sweet  spouse,  and  then  forthwith 
ordered  the  men  to  turn  to,  under  penalty  of  letting 
the  wife  of  his  bosom  loose  on  them.  This  prospect 
produced  such  a powerful  effect  on  the  men  that  they 
instantly  resumed  their  work. 

We  were  now  fairly  entering  the  mountainous 
region,  and  quitting  the  great  alluvial  plain  that 
stretches  hundreds  of  miles  southward  to  the  sea.  We 
could  just  see  the  ‘ Mountains  of  the  Seven  Gates,’ 
towering  in  dark  masses  above  the  horizon,  as  the 
evening  closed  in  upon  us  and  we  cast  anchor  for  the 
night.  Our  skipper  determined  to  serve  us  out  for 
our  obstinacy.  He  assured  us  that  the  place  was 
infested  with  pirates,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to 
keep  an  armed  watch  all  night.  Perhaps  he  feared 
his  men,  who  were  certainly  a dare-devil  looking  set. 

I kept  the  first  watch,  and  employed  myself  in 
writing  letters,  with  my  revolver  close  at  hand  Once 
or  twice,  there  appeared  to  be  a noise  about  the  cabin 
window,  as  of  some  one  trying  to  open  it  ; but  when  I 
looked  out  into  the  night  there  were  no  signs  of  life 
on  the  river,  nor  any  sounds  to  be  heard  save  only  the 
heavy  breathing  of  the  boatmen  in  the  hold  beneath. 
At  length,  shortly  after  midnight,  voices  were  audible 
close  to  the  boat,  and  seemingly  coming  nearer.  I 
grasped  my  revolver,  determined  to  sell  my  life  dearly, 
and  once  more  crept  cautiously  to  the  window,  pre- 
pared for  the  worst.  I concealed  the  light,  and  looked 
abroad  ; and  then  my  companion,  who  had  himself  been 


FISHING  WITH  OTTERS. 


443 


the  author  of  the  alarm,  arrived  to  relieve  me  in  the 
watch. 

We  noticed  men  fishing  with  trained  otters  on  this 
part  of  the  river.  There  were  a number  of  boats,  and 
each  boat  was  furnished  with  an  otter  tied  to  a cord. 
The  animal  was  thrust  into  the  water  and  remained 
there  until  it  had  secured  a fish  ; then  it  was  hauled 
up  and  the  fisherman,  placing  his  foot  upon  its  tail, 
stamped  vigorously  until  it  had  dropped  its  finny  prey. 
We  passed  two  prosperous-looking  little  towns,  Po-yang 
and  Chi-kiang,  and  on  the  morning  of  February  5 were 
sailing  beneath  bold  rocky  bluffs,  backed  by  a chaos  of 
fantastic  mountain  peaks.  Here,  on  the  highest  pin- 
nacle, a Buddhist  monastery  was  perched  not  far  from 
the  brink  of  the  river,  and  nearer  heaven  than  any 
other  object  in  the  landscape.  It  was  fronted  by  a 
precipice  of  600  feet,  and  looked  quite  inaccessible  at 
its  altitude  of  more  than  1,200  feet  above  the  stream. 
But  after  all,  to  scale  this  stony  height,  and  to  rear  a 
shrine  amid  the  clouds,  although  a wonderful  achieve- 
ment in  its  way,  sinks  into  insignificance  when  compared 
with  the  task  of  self-subjection  daily  set  before  each 
inmate  of  the  cloister,  who,  even  in  such  a retreat  as 
this,  removed  as  far  as  it  well  can  be  from  the  haunts 
of  men,  finds  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  the  pride  of  life 
too  strong  to  be  effectually  subdued.  Many  of  the 
Buddhist  monastic  establishments  in  China,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  are  planted  in  most  romantic  and  lovely 
spots  ; and  in  the  one  now  before  us  we  found  no 
exception  to  the  rule.  It  was  set  in  the  midst  of  a 
region  where  Nature  showed  herself  in  her  sublimest 
moods  ; where,  even  when  we  passed,  the  dark  clouds, 
tossed  and  riven  by  the  winter’s  wind,  were  pierced  by 


444 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


fitful  gleams  of  sunshine  that  gilded  the  sacred  rock 
when  all  around  was  wrapped  in  gloom.  But  in 
summer  the  scene  must  be  more  impressive  still.  Then 
sometimes,  the  wild  raging  of  the  tempest  echoes 
through  the  deep  ravines,  the  vapoury  heavens  are 
rent  upon  the  black  crags,  and  a thousand  cascades 
leap  and  flash  in  the  lightning  as  they  descend  im- 
petuously to  swell  the  wild  torrents  of  the  Yang-tsze. 
Onward,  ever  onward,  roll  the  waters  of  this  mighty 
stream,  now  fertilising,  now  laying  waste.  Time  after 
time  have  man’s  hands  striven  to  limit  and  confine  its 
course,  but  his  efforts  end  abortively,  his  greatest  works 
are  silently  levelled  by  the  invading  floods.  Who,  then, 
can  wonder  if  the  Buddhist  recluse,  perched  upon  this 
rocky  pinnacle,  and  looking  down  upon  the  great  river  at 
one  time  smiling  in  the  sunshine  and  dotted  with  many  a 
sail,  at  another  bearing  on  its  turbid  breast  the  wreck 
of  cities,  should  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  muta- 
bility of  human  affairs,  and  stimulated  to  seek  that 
absolute  repose  which  can  only  come,  as  his  sacred 
books  teach  him,  by  disencumbering  himself  of  all 
human  affections  ? 

On  the  same  day,  at  noon,  or  a little  after,  we 
anchored  before  I chang.  This  city  is  one  of  con- 
siderable commercial  importance,  and,  as  it  stands  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Gorges,  it  would  be  the  highest 
point  to  which  steam  navigation  could  be  carried  until 
these  rocky  defiles,  which  extend  for  upwards  of  ioo 
miles  beyond  it,  shall  have  been  thoroughly  surveyed, 
and  some  obstacles  removed,  which  render  the  navigation 
there  by  far  the  most  dangerous  on  the  rivers  of  China. 
That  Ichang  will  ultimately  be  opened  to  foreign  trade 
is  tolerably  certain.  My  only  surprise  is  that  this  has 


ICHANG. 


445 


not  been  done  already;  but  while  the  Chinese  them- 
selves are  disinclined  to  open  new  ports,  those  foreign- 
ers who  have  vested  interests  in  Hankow  probably 
look  with  anything  but  satisfaction,  on  the  threatened 
rivalry  of  I chang.  However,  if  the  opening  of  that 
mart  is  desirable,  and  this  can  hardly  be  doubted, 
Hankow  interests  can  never  stand  in  the  way,  nor  will 
Chinese  opposition  succeed,  unless  some  very  good 
reason  can  be  shown  for  excluding  foreign  commerce 
from  the  upper  waters  of  the  Yang-tsze. 

For  information  as  to  the  trade  of  I chang  I must 
refer  the  reader  to  the  * Report  of  the  Delegates  of  the 
Shanghai  Chamber  of  Commerce,’  published  in  1869. 
At  present,  foreign  goods,  in  limited  quantities,  are  dis- 
tributed from  this  port  through  the  surrounding  pro- 
vinces, while  the  rich  plains  of  Hupeh,  besides  the 
usual  cereal  crops — beans,  millet,  rice,  and  rape — pro- 
duce yellow  silk,  tung-oil,  and  opium  ; the  Jatter  in 
small  quantities,  although  it  is  raised  more  plentifully 
in  Szechuan  and  Yunnan. 

The  town  of  I chang  sweeps  in  a crescent-shape 
round  a bend  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river,  and  is 
divided  into  two  halves  by  a canal.  The  one  half 
occupies  high  land,  while  the  other  is  on  lower  ground, 
and  comprises  a large  suburb  which  suffered  severely 
in  the  flood  of  1870,  but  has  since  been  rebuilt.  There 
are  two  or  three  unoccupied  sites  well  adapted  for  a 
foreign  settlement.  Building  materials  are  also  to  be 
had  in  great  variety  and  abundance ; while  coal,  which 
can  hardly  yet  be  said  to  be  an  article  of  trade,  is  very 
plentiful  in  the  neighbourhood.  As  to  the  steam  naviga- 
tion of  the  river  up  to  this  point,  I have  no  hesitation  in 
saying  that  small  boats  of  light  draught  could  reach 


446 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Ichang  without  difficulty,  even  at  this  season,  when  the 
water  is  at  its  lowest ; while,  during  summer,  the 
steamers  which  ply  on  the  lower  river  would  find  no 
obstacles  greater  than  those  they  already  surmount 
between  Shanghai  and  Hankow. 

In  the  afternoon  we  were  the  spectators  of  a naval 
review.  Six  small  gun-boats,  each  mounting  a six- 
pound  gun  at  the  bow,  were  drawn  up  in  line  and  fired 
their  cannon  at  irregular  intervals.  I say  irregular, 
because  some  of  the  artillery  refused  to  go  off  at  all ; 
and  when  the  sham  fight  was  all  over,  we  could  hear 
them  discharging  themselves  during  the  night.  The 
boats  were  small,  and  had  each  about  forty  rowers  on 
board.  When  the  review  was  over,  the  admiral  landed 
and  rode  off  on  a gaily-caparisoned  pony,  followed  by 
his  retainers. 

At  Ichang  we  had  to  hire  a large  rapid  boat  to 
make  the  ascent  of  the  Gorges,  and  we  left  our  sailing 
vessels  to  await  our  return.  Before  we  started  a cock 
was  sacrificed  to  the  river  goddess ; its  blood  and 
feathers  were  sprinkled  on  the  bow,  while  a libation 
was  poured  upon  the  water.  W e had  a crew  of  twenty- 
four  men  at  the  sweeps,  who  worked  to  the  tune  of  a 
shrill  piping  song,  or  rather  yell,  and  under  their  exer- 
tions it  was  not  long  before  Ichang  had  been  passed 
and  the  mouth  of  the  first  gorge  was  before  us.  Here 
the  river  narrows  from  half  a mile  to  a few  hundred 
yards  across,  and  pours  through  the  rocky  defile  with  a 
velocity  that  makes  it  difficult  to  enter. 

The  hills  rose  on  each  side  from  500  to  2,500  feet 
in  height,  presenting  two  irregular  stone  walls  to  the 
river,  each  worn  and  furrowed  with  the  floods  of  ages, 
and  showing  some  well-defined  water-markings  seventy 


CAVE  DWELLINGS. 


447 


feet  above  the  winter  stream,  up  which  we  were  now 
toiling  on  our  way.  Thus,  then,  we  had  before  us 
an  unmistakable  register  of  the  height  to  which  the 
Yang-tsze  had  risen  in  the  seasons  of  former  floods. 

The  further  we  entered  the  gorges  the  more  deso- 
late and  dark  became  the  scene,  the  narrow  barren 
defile  presenting  a striking  contrast  to  the  wide  culti- 
vated plains,  through  which  we  had  been  making  our 
way  from  the  sea,  for  more  than  1,000  miles. 

The  only  inhabitants  of  this  region  appeared  to  be  a 
few  fishermen,  who  prosecuted  their  avocation  among 
the  rocks,  while  their  rude  huts  could  be  seen  perched 
high  in  inaccessible-looking  nooks  and  crannies  among 
the  mountains  above.  Huts,  indeed,  they  could  hardly 
be  called  ; at  least,  those  of  them  which  we  visited  were 
either  natural  caves,  or  holes  scooped  out  beneath  the 
sheltering  rocks,  and  closed  in  with  what  resembled  the 
front  of  an  ordinary  straw-thatched  cottage. 

These  smoke-begrimed  abodes  called  to  my  mind 
the  ancient  cave-dwellings  which  sheltered  our  fore- 
fathers at  Wemyss  Bay,  in  Scotland.  The  interiors  were 
dark  and  gloomy,  the  clay  floors  cold,  and  covered  with 
fishbones  and  refuse,  while  a dull  light,  glimmering  from 
a taper  in  a recess  in  the  rocks,  revealed  at  once  the 
grim  features  of  a small  idol  and  the  few  and  simple 
articles  of  furniture  that  made  up  the  property  of  the 
inmates.  A residence  of  this  sort,  witn  all  it  contains, 
might  be  fitted  up  at  an  original  cost  of  probably  one 
pound  sterling,  and  yet  it  was  in  such  places  that  we 
found  the  frugality  and  industry  of  the  Chinese  most 
conspicuously  displayed ; for,  outside  the  caves,  wher- 
ever there  was  a little  soil  on  the  face  of  the  rocks,  it 
had  been  scraped  together  and  planted  with  vegetables, 


448 


IND O- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


so  that  the  softer  portions  had  been  washed  away,  and 
a series  of  grotesque  flint  pillars  were  left,  supporting 
the  upper  strata  which  towered  above  our  heads  in 
precipices  of  a thousand  feet.  In  other  places  the 
rocks  looked  like  the  high  walls  and  ramparts  of  a 


which  were  made  to  contribute  to  the  domestic  economy 
of  the  inhabitants.  This  was,  indeed,  taking  bread  out 
of  a stone  ! Further  on  we  found  a number  of  men 
engaged  in  quarrying  the  stone,  and  in  forming  river 
embankments.  The  stream  in  many  places  hereabouts 
had  undermined  the  limestone  formation  of  the  rocks, 


SZECHUAN  BOAT,  UPPER  YANG-TSZE. 


THE  CHINESE  NEW  YEAR. 


449 


fortress,  or  the  battlements  and  towers  of  a citadel. 
The  inhabitants  of  this  sterile  region  must  have  a hard 
struggle  for  existence,  but  they  are  a hardy  and  indepen- 
dent race,  scorning  the  mendicant  tricks  of  their  more  ab- 
ject fellow-countrymen  in  the  plains.  Thus  I only  fell  in 
with  a single  beggar  in  these  mountain  passes,  although 
many  of  the  people  were  very  poor  and  miserable. 
Our  men  slept  on  deck  in  the  open  air,  and  I was 
always  afraid  lest  I should  find  some  of  them  dead  in 
the  morning,  for  the  cold  was  intense  during  the  night. 
But  they  huddled  themselves  together  beneath  the 
awning  of  matting,  and  thus  managed  to  keep  the 
night  air  from  freezing  their  blood.  Near  the  upper 
end  of  the  gorge  the  huts  were  of  a better  class,  the 
soil  improved,  and  small  orchards  came  into  sight, 
displaying  a profusion  of  plum-blossoms  even  at  this 
season  of  the  year. 

On  February  8 we  were  compelled  to  spend  half  a 
day  at  a place  called  Kwang-loong-Miau,  that  the  crew 
miorht  celebrate  the  Chinese  New  Yean  The  festival 

o 

was  conducted  at  the  village  shrine,  which  stood  on  a 
picturesque  spot  surrounded  with  pine  and  backed  by 
a mountain  2,000  feet  high.  Chang  had  here  a dispute 
with  the  boatmen,  who,  as  he  protested,  had  sullied 
his  honourable  name.  He  complained  of  their  riotous, 
drunken  conduct  ; but  I soon  found  that  our  venerated 
interpreter  was  himself  not  without  sin,  and  was  indeed 
unable  to  stand  erect.  He  suggested  that  the  chief 
offenders  ought  to  be  taken  before  the  nearest  magis- 
trate, and,  if  need  be,  beheaded  in  order  to  sober 
them 

In  truth,  they  made  a great  uproar  during  the 
night,  firing  crackers,  quarrelling,  and  gambling;  but 


45° 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


next  morning  they  were  once  more  ready  for  work, 
thpugh  some  had  sold  a portion  of  what  little  they  had 
in  the  shape  of  clothing,  to  give  the  new  year  a fair 
start,  and  looked  all  the  more  savage  for  the  change. 
They  soon  got  heated,  as  we  had  cleared  the  first 
gorge  and  were  now  ascending  a rapid.  It  was  the 
first,  but  by  no  means  the  least  dangerous.  The  bulk 
of  the  men  were  on  the  bank,  attached  to  a tracking- 
line. Off  they  sped,  yelling  like  fiends  above  the  roar  of 
the  water ; while  the  boy,  to  add  to  the  din,  lustily  beat 
a gong,  and  the  cook  a small  drum,  for  the  purpose  of 
stirring  the  men  to  put  forth  their  full  strength.  At 
about  the  centre  of  the  rapid  there  was  a dead  halt, 
just  as  if  the  boat  had  stuck  fast  on  a reef,  though  the 
trackers  were  straining  to  their  utmost  with  hands  and 
feet  planted  firmly  on  the  rocks.  The  skipper  stamped, 
danced,  and  bellowed  to  his  crew  ; and  they,  responding 
with  a wild  shout,  a desperate  tug,  and  a strain,  at 
last  launched  our  boat  into  the  smooth  water  above. 
The  danger  of  this  rapid  consists  not  so  much  in  its 
force  as  in  the  narrowness  of  the  channel,  and  in  the 
multitude  of  rocks,  sunken  as  well  as  above  water,  on 
which  the  boat,  were  the  tracking  line  to  part,  would 
certainly  drift,  and  there  be  dashed  to  pieces. 

In  the  second,  or  Lukan  Gorge,  the  mountains  rise 
to  a greater  altitude,  projecting  in  some  places  over 
the  chasm,  as  if  they  longed  to  join  and  exclude  the 
light  from  the  already  darkened  river.  There  were 
numerous  strange  perpendicular  markings  in  these 
rocks,  like  borings  for  the  purpose  of  mining.  These 
had  apparently  been  made  by  a sort  of  natural  sand-drill. 
Small  hard  pebbles,  imprisoned  in  the  recesses  of  soft 
rock,  with  the  aid  of  sand  and  water,  have  in  time 


THE  GREAT  RAPID. 


45 1 


pierced  these  deep  vertical  shafts  ; and  the  attrition  of 
the  water  on  the  face  of  the  rocks  has  at  last  brought 
the  tunnelled  apertures  to  light. 

At  the  next  rapid,  Shan-tow-pien,  we  noticed  the 
wrecks  of  two  Szechuan  trading-boats,  making  in  all 
nine  which  we  had  come  across  since  we  started 
from  Ichang.  It  was  snowing  heavily,  as  we  made 
our  way  over  the  rocks  to  the  village  which  came 
down  close  to  the  water’s  edge  ; and  towards  dark  we 
found  ourselves  in  front  of  a small  cabin  made  out  of 
the  ctdbris  of  a wrecked  boat.  The  owner  of  the 
wreck,  an  aged  man,  resided  within  it,  and  had  been 
residing  there  for  some  days  past.  He  looked  cold 
and  wretched  ; but  he  would  have  nothing  to  say  to  us, 
and  haughtily  rejected  our  proffered  help. 

We  had  now  reached  the  great  rapid  of  the  Upper 
Yang-tsze,  which  occurs  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mitan 
Gorge.  Here,  while  I was  engaged  in  photographing 
the  scene,  I fell  in  with  a mandarin,  who  asked  many 
questions  about  my  honourable  name  and  title,  my 
country,  my  kinsmen,  and,  as  he  had  never  set  eyes  on 
a photographic  instrument  before,  he  wanted  to  see 
the  result  of  my  work.  When  the  picture  was  shown 
to  him,  he  enquired  by  what  possible  means  a drawing 
could  be  so  perfectly  completed  in  so  short  a space  of 
time  ; and  then,  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  and 
casting  an  anxious  glance  at  me  to  make  sure  I had 
neither  horns,  hoofs,  nor  tail  visible,  he  hurried  off  to 
the  village  with  the  conviction  perhaps  that  my  art 
was  an  uncanny  one,  and  that  my  diabolical  insignia 
were  only  craftily  concealed.  Accordingly,  on  taking 
my  next  view  at  the  same  village,  I was  surrounded 
by  a crowd  of  sullen  spectators,  who,  though  it  was 


45  2 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


explained  that  I was  only  securing  a picture,  favoured 
me  with  sundry  tokens  of  their  dread  in  the  shape  of 
sods  and  stones.  Chang  tried  his  eloquence  on  the 
people,  but  with  little  effect.  We  packed  up  as  quickly 
as  we  could,  and  marched  down  the  bank  to  cross  over 


THE  GREAT  RAPID,  MITAN  GORGE. 


to  the  other  side,  where  my  companions  were  preparing 
for  the  ascent  of  the  rapid.  No  doubt  these  villagers, 
some  of  them,  had  heard  the  popular  fiction  that 
pictures  such  as  mine  were  made  out  of  the  eyes  of 
Chinese  babes.  I narrowly  escaped  a stroke  from  an 


SHOOTING  THE  RAPID. 


453 


oar  as  I took  refuge  in  a boat  ; but  the  blow  was 
warded  off  with  a force  that  nearly  sent  its  author 
spinning  headlong  into  the  stream. 

This  rapid  is  one  of  the  grandest  spectacles  in  the 
whole  panorama  of  the  river.  The  water  presents  a 
smooth  surface  as  it  emerges  from  the  pass ; then  sud- 
denly seems  to  bend  like  a polished  cylinder  of  glass ; 
falls  eight  or  ten  feet,  and  finally  curves  upwards  in  a 
glorious  crest  of  foam  as  it  surges  away  in  wild  tumult 
down  the  gorge.  At  this  season  sundry  rocks  enhance 
the  peril  of  shooting  this  rapid.  On  our  way  down  we 
persuaded  Chang  to  come  into  the  boat  with  us  ; but 
as  the  vessel  plunged  and  groaned  in  an  agony  of 
straining  timbers,  he  became  perfectly  sick  with  panic 
fear.  It  was,  indeed,  hardly  to  be  wondered  at.  The 
pilot  we  employed  at  this  time  was  a tall  bony  man, 
with  dark  piercing  eyes,  a huge  black  moustache,  and 
a mouth  full  of  foxy  fangs.  He  and  his  assistant 
guided  the  boat  to  what  seemed  to  be  the  worst  part  of 
the  rapid,  and  then  launched  her  into  the  raging  waters 
broadside  on.  After  the  first  plunge  she  swept  round 
bow  foremost,  tossing  and  writhing  until  I thought  she 
would  go  to  pieces  and  djsappear.  Meanwhile  the 
pilot,  flinging  his  arms  on  high,  yelled  and  danced  like 
a fiend  about  the  deck,  conveying  the  notion  that  the 
craft  was  doomed,  although  in  reality  he  was  only 
guiding  his  men  at  the  helm.  But  the  boat,  regardless 
of  oaths,  oars,  and  rudder,  sped  forward  with  a fearful 
impetus,  bearing  right  down  for  the  rocks,  dodged 
them  at  the  last  moment,  when  the  pilot  had  been 
seized  with  a fit  of  frantic  despair,  and  then  with  a 
groan  of  relief,  darted  into  the  comparatively  smooth 
water  far  below.  The  pilot’s  buffoonery  is  probably 


454 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


part  of  his  game.  It  pays  when  at  last  he  presents 
himself  for  his  legitimate  fee,  and  for  the  trifle  extra 
which  he  expects  for  saving  our  lives  at  the  risk  of  his 
own.  That  there  is  great  danger  in  shooting  this 
rapid  may  be  gathered  from  a survey  of  the  wrecks 
that  strew  the  shore,  from  the  life-boats  in  constant 
attendance,  or  from  the  fact  that  the  Chinese  unload 
their  boats  at  the  head  of  the  rapid,  and  have  their  cargo 
and  themselves  transported  overland  to  the  smooth 
waters  below. 

This  ‘Tsing-tan’  rapid,  then,  is  the  greatest  ob- 
stacle to  the  steam  navigation  of  the  Upper  Yang-tsze. 
We  had  to  hire  fifty  trackers  from  the  village  to  aid 
our  men  in  hauling  the  boat  up  the  stream,  which  here 
ran  about  eight  knots  an  hour  ; but  I see  no  reason 
why  the  kind  of  steamer  Captain  Blakiston  has  sug- 
gested should  not  navigate  this,  and  indeed  any  of  the 
other  rapids  on  the  river,  the  steam  power  to  be  capable 
of  being  detached  and  made  available  either  for  towing 
the  vessel  up,  or  for  retarding  her  swift  and  hazardous 
descent.  Were  the  river  once  opened  to  trade,  daring 
and  scientific  skill  would  be  forthcoming  to  accomplish 
the  end  in  view. 

The  mountains  of  this  gorge  are  on  the  same 
stupendous  scale  as  those  of  the  Lukan  passage  below. 
On  the  1 1 th  we  reached  a small  walled  town  called 
Kwei,  with  not  a single  craft  nor  a human  being  near 
it  to  betoken  trade  of  any  kind.  Yes  ! I forgot,  there 
was  one  man,  a beggar,  on  the  bank  ; but  even  he  was 
about  to  leave  the  place.  Here  we  halted  for  the 
night,  and  in  the  morning  visited  some  coal  mines  at  a 
place  called  Patung,  where  the  limestone  strata,  in 
which  the  coal  is  formed,  stand  up  in  nearly  perpen- 


3ZSJ.ONVA  >r,-T(Mn  '30HO0  NV.T.-IK  THX 


CHINESE  COAL-MINING. 


455 


dicular  walls  against  the  edge  of  the  river.  Adits  had 
been  carried  into  the  face  of  the  rock,  but  they  were 
all  of  them  on  an  exceedingly  small  scale,  simple 
burrowings  without  any  depth.  No  shafts  were  sunk, 
and  no  ventilation  was  attempted.  Coal  abounds,  and, 
even  with  such  rude  appliances  as  the  miners  possess, 
is  turned  out  in  considerable  quantities ; but  the  quality 
is  not  so  good  as  some  we  got  further  up  the  gorge. 
The  miner,  when  at  work,  carries  a lamp  stuck  in  his 
cap,  much  the  same  as  those  in  use  with  us  before 
Sir  H.  Davy’s  invention.  The  coal  was  shunted  from 
the  mouth  of  the  pit  down  a groove  cut  in  the  face  of 
the  cliffs,  and  when  conveyed  any  distance  is  trans 
ported  in  kreels  on  the  backs  of  the  women. 

There  were  several  mining  villages  at  this  place, 
and  there  every  household  is  employed  entirely  in  the 
trade,  the  children  making  fuel  by  mixing  the  coal 
with  water  and  clay,  and  then  casting  it  in  moulds  into 
blocks  which  weigh  one  catty  (i  lb.  ^rd)  a-piece.  The 
miners  who  are  occupied  in  this  work  earn  about  seven 
shillings  a week,  and  their  hours  of  labour  are  from 
seven  o’clock  in  the  morning  to  about  4 p.m. 

Baron  von  Richthofen  has  assured  us  that  there  is 
plenty  of  coal  in  Hunan  and  Hupeh,  and  that  the  coal- 
field of  Szechuan  is  also  of  enormous  area.  He  adds 
that  at  the  present  rate  of  consumption  the  world  could 
draw  its  supplies  from  Southern  Shensi  alone  for 
several  thousand  years  ; and  yet,  in  the  very  places 
referred  to,  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  the  Chinese 
storing  up  wood  and  millet-stalks  for  their  firing  in 
winter,  while  coal  in  untold  quantities  lies  ready  for 
use  beneath  their  feet.  These  vast  coal-fields  will 
constitute  the  basis  of  China’s  future  greatness,  when 


456  INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

steam  shall  have  been  called  in  to  aid  in  the  develop- 
ment of  her  enormous  mineral  wealth. 

Wu-shan  Gorge,  which  we  reached  on  the  morning 
of  the  1 8th,  is  more  than  twenty  miles  long,  and  we 
entered  this  great  defile  at  about  ten  o’clock.  The 
river  was  perfectly  placid,  and  the  view  which  met  our 
gaze  at  tne  mouth  of  the  gorge  was  one  of  the  finest 
we  had  hitherto  encountered.  The  mountains  rose  in 
confused  masses  to  a great  altitude ; the  most  distant 
peak,  at  the  extremity  of  the  passage,  resembling  a cut 
sapphire,  with  snow-lines  that  sparkled  in  the  sun  like 
the  gleams  of  light  on  the  facets  of  a gem,  while  the 
cliffs  and  precipices  gradually  deepened  in  outline 
until  they  reached  the  bold  lights  and  shadows  of  the 
rocky  foreground. 

The  officers  of  a gun-boat  stationed  at  the  boundary 
which  parts  the  provinces  of  Hupeh  and  Szechuan, 
warned  us  to  beware  of  pirates,  and  they  had  good 
reason  for  so  doing.  We  came  to  anchor  at  a place 
where  the  rocks  towering  overhead  wrapped  the  scene 
in  pitchy  darkness  ; and  it  was  nearly  io  p.m.  when 
our  skipper  sent  to  say  we  had  better  have  our  arms 
ready,  as  pirates  were  prowling  about.  One  boat  had 
just  passed  noiselessly  up  alongside,  and  its  occupants 
were  talking  in  whispers.  We  hailed  them,  but  they 
made  no  reply ; so  we  then  fired  over  their  heads. 
Our  fire  was  responded  to  by  a flash  and  a report  from 
some  men  on  the  bank,  not  far  off.  After  this  we  kept  a 
watch  all  night,  and  at  about  two  in  the  morning  were  all 
roused  again  to  challenge  a boat’s  crew  that  was  noise- 
lessly stealing  down  on  our  quarters.  A second  time 
we  were  forced  to  fire,  and  the  sharp  ping  of  the  rifle- 
ball  on  the  rocks  had  the  effect  of  deterring  further 


MINING  VILLAGE,  HUNAN  PROVINCE 


MYSTIC  LIGHTS. 


457 


advances  from  our  invisible  foe.  The  disturbers  of 
our  repose  must  have  been  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
this  part  of  the  river,  for  even  by  day  it  is  somewhat 
dark,  and  at  night  it  is  so  utterly  without  light  that  no 
trading-boat  would  venture  an  inch  from  her  rock- 
bound  moorings.  On  another  night,  in  this  gorge,  I 


NATIVES  OF  SZECHUAN. 


was  summoned  by  my  boy,  who  appeared  in  the  cabin 
with  a face  of  blank  terror,  and  told  me  that  he  had 
just  seen  a group  of  luminous  spirits  that  were  haunt- 
ing the  pass.  It  was  evident  that  something  unusual 
had  occurred,  as  I had  never  seen  the  boy  in  such  a 
state  of  clammy  fear  before  ; so  we  followed  him  on  to 


458 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  deck,  and,  looking  up  the  precipice  about  eight 
hundred  feet  above  our  heads,  we  then  saw  three  lights 
on  the  face  of  the  rock  performing  a series  of  the  most 
extraordinary  evolutions.  My  old  attendant  declared, 
the  cold  perspiration  trickling  down  his  face  the  while, 
that  he  could  make  out  sylph-like  forms  waving  the 
lights  to  warn  wayfarers  off  from  the  edge  of  the 
abyss  : — 

‘ This  seraph  band,  each  waved  his  hand, 

It  was  a heavenly  sight: 

They  stood  as  signals  to  the  land, 

Each  one  a lovely  light.’ 


The  true  explanation  of  the  phenomenon  lay  in  the 
fact,  perhaps,  that  in  this  very  gorge  there  are  hapless 
beings,  convicts  immured  in  prison-cells  cut  in  the  face 
of  the  rocks,  into  which  they  are  dropped  by  their 
gaolers  from  above,  and  from  which  they  can  never 
hope  to  escape  unless  to  seek  destruction  by  a plunge 
into  the  river  below.  Here,  too,  we  find  inhabitants 
of  a widely  different  stamp,  a number  of  the  philosophic 
followers  of  Laou-tsoo,  who  pass  their  lives  as  hermits 
in  these  dark  solitudes.  In  one  cave  we  came  across 
the  remains  of  a Taouist  philosopher  of  this  sort  ; a 
recluse  who  expired,  so  my  boy  informed  me,  at  the 
ripe  age  of  200  years.  Several  of  the  boatmen 
averred  that  they  knew  him  to  have  been  more  than 
a century  old.  His  relics  lay  in  the  centre  of 
the  cave,  covered  over  with  a cairn  of  stones  and 
sods,  which  had  been  thrown  up  by  passing  moun- 
taineers. 

February  15. — To-day  we  met  with  a disaster  as 
we  were  ascending  a rapid.  The  boat  was  caught  by 
a blast  of  wind,  and  this,  aided  by  a strong  eddy,  was 


WU-SHAN  GORGE. 


459 


just  sending  her  over  when  the  skipper’s  mate,  the 
most  active  youth  on  board,  sprang  forward  and  cut 
the  tracking  line.  The  trackers,  unexpectedly  relieved 
of  the  great  strain,  were  sent  sprawling  over  the  rocks; 
while,  as  for  the  boat,  she  righted  at  once,  spun  round 
and  round,  and  then  drifted  down  the  rapid,  till  at  last 
she  settled  on  a spit  of  sand  half  a mile  below  the 
scene  of  the  accident.  So  far  the  result  was  satisfac- 
tory ; but  then  we  were  on  one  side  of  the  stream  and 
our  crew  on  the  other.  As  there  was  a village  near  at 
hand,  we  at  once  repaired  thither  to  engage  a boat  to 
convey  our  men  across ; but  not  a soul  would  stir 
unless  we  paid  them  beforehand  nearly  as  much  as 
would  buy  another  village,  such  as  it  was.  We  offered 
them  what  the  boatmen  considered  a fair  hire,  but  this 
they  stedfastly  refused  ; until  at  last  we  jumped  into 
one  of  their  boats,  and  threatened  to  use  it  ourselves. 
Seeing  this,  they  thought  better  of  it,  apologised,  and 
struck  a fair  bargain.  We  came  to,  for  that  night, 
above  the  Wu-shan  Gorge.  Before  us,  on  the  left 
bank,  lay  the  walled  town  of  Wu-shan,  surrounded  by 
low  hills  and  richly-tilled  valleys ; and  here  we  noticed 
the  outlet  of  a small  river  that  joins  the  Yang-tsze,  and 
down  which  salt  is  brought  in  great  quantities  from 
mines  at  a place  called  Ta-ning. 

Opium,  silk,  and  tea,  are  among  the  chief  products 
of  this  district,  and  it  is  also  singularly  rich  in  fruits  of 
various  sorts.  We  bought  the  most  delicious  oranges 
I ever  tasted  in  China  for  a shilling  a hundred.  Next 
day  we  made  a strenuous  though  futile  effort  to  reach 
Kwei-chow-fu  ; but  we  could  make  no  headway  in  the 
face  of  a storm  that  swept  in  fearful  blasts  down  the 
gorge,  and  filled  the  air  with  a fine  blinding  sand,  most 


460 


1ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


irritating  to  the  eyes.  We  therefore  left  Szechuan  on 
the  1 6th,  after  having  ascended  a distance  of  between 
twelve  and  thirteen  hundred  miles  above  Shanghai. 
The  return  voyage  was  comparatively  easy,  and 
eighteen  days  after  leaving  Szechuan  we  again  set  foot 
on  the  foreign  settlement  at  Hankow.  Here  our 
friends  received  us  with  a hearty  welcome,  and  plied 
us  with  the  most  minute  enquiries  as  to  the  state  of 
the  river,  and  the  exact  appearance  of  the  proposed 
new  treaty-port  at  Ichang.  Several  even  supposed 
that  we  must  have  been  looking  out  for  land  in  the 
new  settlement,  and  had  perhaps  negotiated  some 
secret  investments  in  likely  sites — a course  of  action 
which,  as  things  have  turned  out,  would  on  the  whole 
have  proved  a rather  premature  and  ruinous  specula- 
tion. 

At  Hankow  I rejoined  some  of  my  oldest  friends 
in  China,  and  they  greeted  me,  after  my  voyage,  almost 
as  one  risen  from  the  dead.  It  was  not  without  a 
pang  of  sincere  regret  at  parting  from  them  that  I 
stepped  on  board  the  steamer. 

I stopped  at  Kiukiang  on  the  downward  trip,  and 
spent  two  or  three  days  in  the  settlement.  The  native 
city,  although  it  holds  an  important  position  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Po-yung  lake,  and  thus  communicates 
with  the  network  of  canals  and  streams  that  form  the 
trade  routes  into  the  vast  green-tea  fields  of  Kiangsi 
and  Ngan-Hwei,  has  nevertheless  failed  to  attain  a 
high  commercial  position  ; nor  has  the  foreign  settle- 
ment either  done  much  yet  towards  monopolising  the 
traffic  of  the  richly  productive  districts  by  which  it  is 
surrounded.  The  city  suffered  a severe  blow  at  the 
hands  of  the  rebels,  who  left  it  a ruined  waste  in  1861  ; 


KINK  I A NG. 


461 


and  even  at  the  time  of  my  visit  it  had  not  regained 
its  former  prosperity.  Nevertheless,  the  streets  were 
again  struggling  up  by  degrees  out  of  the  wreck  and 
debris  which  had  been  left  behind  by  the  benign 
followers  of  the  ‘ Heavenly  King.’ 

Kiukiang  will  probably  rise  into  much  greater 
commercial  importance  when  the  Po-yung  lake  shall 
have  been  thrown  open  to  steam  navigation.  One  or 
two  excursions  which  I made  into  the  surrounding 
districts  enabled  me  to  form  a very  favourable  estimate 
of  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  prosperity  of  its 
cultivators.  The  region,  however,  seemed  thinly  popu- 
lated, and  this  fact  alone  is  sufficient  to  account  for  the 
absence  of  the  poverty  and  misery  which  fall  to  the  lot 
of  the  toiling  millions  in  many  quarters  of  the  land. 

At  a place  called  Tai-ping-kung,  about  ten  miles 
inland  from  Kiukiang,  I found  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
shrine,  presenting  most  remarkable  architectural  fea- 
tures. All  that  remained  of  a once  extensive  edifice 
were  two  towers  pierced  with  windows,  which  looked 
something  like  the  pointed  gothic  apertures  of  a medi- 
eval European  building.  The  walls  of  a small  joss-house 
adjoining  were  built  partly  of  finely  sculptured  stones : 
and  the  whole  ruin,  indeed,  was  unlike  anything  I had 
before  seen  in  China.  It  seemed  more  European  than 
Chinese,  and  possibly  may  point  to  Ricci’s  Jesuit 
mission  to  that  part  of  the  province  in  1590.  It  is, 
however,  said  to  have  once  been  one  of  the  greatest 
Buddhist  establishments  in  Cathay.  On  the  way  back 
from  this  old  shrine  I passed  over  classic  ground, 
where  the  rocks  are  inscribed  with  the  praises  of  Chu- 
fu-tze,  a celebrated  Confucian  commentator  and  philo- 
sopher who  lived  in  the  twelfth  century. 


462 


TND O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Even  the  spot  where  he  dwelt  as  a hermit  is  still 
pointed  out,  and  his  tomb  may  be  seen  on  a mound 
there,  shaded  by  venerable  cypress  and  pine-trees. 
He  is  depreciated  now-a-days  by  the  modern  school  of 
Chinese  doctors  as  somewhat  unsound  in  his  doctrine, 
and  as  having  been  influenced  by  the  philosophy  of  the 
Buddhists. 

The  next  point  at  which  I touched  was  Nanking, 
the  ancient  capital  of  China,  where  there  is  no  foreign 
settlement,  nor  any  port  open  for  trade.  It  was  dark 
when,  with  my  boys,  and  baggage,  and  two  Chinese 
officers  of  the  Governor-General’s  household,  I de- 
scended from  the  steamer  ‘ Hirado’  into  a native  boat, 
and  landed  on  the  muddy  bank  beneath  the  outer  walls 
of  this  famous  city.  We  had  to  spend  the  night  in  a 
small  shed  which  had  been  provided  for  the  conve- 
nience of  passengers  making  use  of  the  river  steamers. 
The  place  was  crowded  with  an  orderly  company  of 
natives,  who  very  kindly  made  room  for  me  to  re- 
pose myself  on  a table;  but  it  was  in  vain  that  I courted 
sleep,  for  the  air  was  obscured  by  clouds  of  tobacco- 
smoke,  and  conversation  was  kept  up  with  an  incessant 
clamour  all  night  through.  As  it  happened,  the  talk 
was  of  the  deepest  interest;  Tseng-kuo-fan,  the  great 
Chinese  general  who  had  fought  side  by  side  with 
Li-hung-chang  and  Colonel  Gordon  in  the  suppression 
of  the  Taiping  rebellion,  had  just  expired  at  his  palace 
in  Nanking.  Many  present  said  that  he  had  perished 
by  his  own  hand,  or  had  succumbed  to  an  overdose  of 
gold-leaf ; whereas  the  truth  was,  as  I afterwards  dis- 
covered, that  he  had  died  in  a fit  of  apoplexy,  the  second 
with  which  he  had  been  attacked.  His  death  was  a 
great  disappointment  to  me,  as  my  chief  motive  in 


TSENG-KUO-FAN. 


463 


visiting  Nanking  had  been  to  see  the  celebrated  leader, 
and,  if  possible,  obtain  his  likeness  for  my  larger  work. 

I carried  with  me  an  introduction  to  him  from  Li-hung- 
chang,  the  Governor- General  of  Pei-chil-li,  and  this  note 
I duly  presented  to  his  son,  who  sent  me  a reply  ex- 
pressing the  deep  regret  of  the  family  that  they  should 
have  missed  the  opportunity  of  obtaining  a portrait. 
But  a general  officer  subsequently  remarked  that  after 
all  it  was,  perhaps,  as  well  for  me  that  I had  not  arrived 
in  time  to  take  the  picture,  as  most  assuredly  the 
speaker  himself,  and  others  as  well  as  he,  would  have 
accused  me  of  causing  the  untimely  death.  It  is  a 
wide-spread  Chinese  belief,  from  which  men  of  the 
highest  intelligence  are  by  no  means  free,  that,  in 
taking  a photograph,  a certain  portion  of  the  vital 
principle  is  extracted  from  the  body  of  the  sitter,  and 
that  thus  his  decease  within  a limited  period  is  rendered 
an  absolute  certainty. 

The  reader  will  gather  from  this  that  I was  fre- 
quently looked  upon  as  a forerunner  of  death,  as  a sort 
of  Nemesis,  in  fact;  and  I have  seen  unfortunates, 
stricken  with  superstitious  dread,  fall  down  on  bended 
knees  and  beseech  me  not  to  take  their  likeness  or 
their  life  with  the  fatal  lens  of  my  camera.  But  all  this 
might  have  occurred  in  our  own  country  not  many 
years  ago,  where  a photograph  would  have  been 
esteemed  a work  of  the  devil,  or  to  catch  the  sunlit 
image  with  the  dark  eye  of  science  would  have 
been  likened  to  the  ancient  miracle  of  our  Lord  when 
he  gave  sight  to  the  blind. 

Tseng-kuo-fan  was  one  of  the  foremost  statesmen  of 
his  time.  He  was  a member  of  the  Grand  Secretariat, 
and  was  created  a noble  of  the  second  class  after  the 


464  INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

expulsion  of  the  rebels  from  Nanking.  He  was  then 
at  the  zenith  of  his  power,  and  it  was  even  said  that 
his  wide-spread  influence  was  dreaded  by  the  court  at 
Peking.  In  1868  he  became  Governor-General  of 
Pei-chil-li,  and  was  removed  from  that  office  after  the 
Tientsin  massacre,  and  for  the  third  time  appointed 
Governor-General  of  the  two  Kiang. 

The  view  of  Nanking  was  a disappointing  one.  It 
is  simply  a vast  area  enclosed  within  a high  wall  which 
makes  a circuit  of  twenty-two  miles,  and  is  therefore 
the  largest  city  in  the  kingdom.  Near  at  hand  are 
several  heights  crowned  with  temples,  and  such-like 
sacred  buildings,  while  a number  of  yamens  and  re- 
ligious edifices  may  be  seen  dotting  the  great  open 
spaces  where  cultivation  is  carried  on.  But  the  city 
itself,  as  usual,  is  crowded  into  the  narrowest  limits 
capable  of  supporting  half  a million  struggling  sons  of 
Han. 

There  were  still  many  dreary  acres  of  demolished 
streets  with  not  a single  occupant,  but  in  other  quarters 
the  work  of  restoration  was  being  actively  carried  on. 
This  great  ‘ Southern  Capital  ’ must  probably  have  been 
at  one  time  what  Le  Comte  stated,  ‘ a splendid  city 
surrounded  by  walls  one  within  the  other,’  the  outer- 
most ‘ sixteen  long  leagues  round.’  Such  may  have 
been  its  condition  some  fourteen  hundred  years  ago, 
when  it  first  became  the  Imperial  head-quarters,  or 
perhaps  even  so  late  as  the  fourteenth  century,  when 
Hung- Woo,  the  first  Ming  Emperor,  is  reported  to 
have  restored  it  to  its  pristine  glory.  But  the  place 
had  already  fallen  sadly  off  at  the  advent  of  the  Tien- 
wang,  who  conferred  upon  it  the  questionable  honour  of 
making  it  the  capital  of  a Chinese  dynasty  once  more. 


NANKING. 


465 


It  was  said  to  have  been  at  the  recommendation  of  a 
very  humble  follower,  an  old  sailor,  that  the  ‘ Heavenly 
King,’  as  he  styled  himself,  decided  on  making  Nan- 
king the  seat  of  his  celestial  government ; but  in  other 
matters  this  self-made  potentate  was  not  so  easily  per- 
suaded. Why  should  he  have  been  ? He  believed 
implicitly  that  he  was  a second  son  of  God  sent  down 
to  redeem  China. 

When  the  Imperialists  were  marshalling  their  forces 
around  the  great  Ming  tomb,  and  when  his  old  soldiers 
and  faithful  adherents  were  starving  in  the  streets,  he 
gave  orders  that  they  should  be  fed  on  dew  and  sing  a 
new  song  till  the  hour  of  deliverance  came.  Calmly  he 
sat  within  his  palace  looking  with  disdain  upon  the 
gathering  forces  that  ere  long  were  to  strike  the  fatal 
blow.  The  city  had  not  yet  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
his  foes  when  his  faith  and  fortitude  forsook  him,  and 
he  ended  his  days  by  his  own  hand. 

It  is  a tedious  journey  round  the  city  moat  to  the 
southern  gate.  Many  boats  were  to  be  met  winding 
their  way  along  this  canal,  or  else  drawn  up  into  groups 
and  forming  little  market-places  every  here  and  there. 
Sometimes  we  fell  in  with  a wretched  petty  settlement 
on  the  banks,  that  looked  like  the  scum  and  refuse  that 
had  been  tossed  over  the  city  wall ; and  at  one  small 
bridge  beneath  which  we  passed  it  was  told  me  that 
there,  after  the  fall  of  Nanking,  the  canal  had  been 
dammed  up  by  the  rebel  heads.  Outside  the  southern 
gate  there  is  a large  suburb.  Why  it  should  have  been 
planted  there,  when  there  is  so  much  vacant  space 
within  the  walls,  is  difficult  to  tell.  Many  of  its  dwel- 
lings are  nothing  more  than  rude  huts  erected  over 
ground  strewn  with  the  graves  and  bones  of  Taipings 


466 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  Imperialists  mingled  together  in  kindred  dust.  Here, 
too,  I found  the  old  porcelain  tower  of  Nanking  (once 
one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world,  but  now  levelled 
to  the  earth),  and  a number  of  small  speculators  driving 
a trade  in  its  porcelain  bricks.  But  most  of  the  bricks 
of  this  tower,  and  of  the  ‘ Monastery  of  Gratitude  ’ to 
which  it  belonged,  were  used  in  constructing  the  Nan- 
king arsenal  close  by  : and  of  the  two  edifices  I should 
say  that  the  latter,  planted  as  it  has  been  by  the  fore- 
most son  of  Han  (Li-hung-chang)  in  the  very  heart  of 
die  ‘ Central  Flowery  Land,’  will  be  held  to  be  far  the 
more  wonderful  structure,  except  by  those  who  may 
have  a special  prejudice  in  favour  of  porcelain  pagodas. 
Here,  then,  the  old  Buddhist  tower  and  the  monastery, 
with  its  monotonous  chants,  have  been  replaced  by  a 
temple  dedicated  to  the  Chinese  Vulcan  and  Mars,  whose 
altars  are  furnaces,  whose  worshippers  are  melters  of 
iron,  and  from  whose  shrines  come  the  never-ceasing 
rattle  of  machinery  and  the  reports  of  rifles  that  arc 
being  tested  for  service. 

This  arsenal,  built  as  I have  said,  under  the 
auspices  of  Li-hung-chang,  was  the  first  of  its  kind  in 
China,  and  is  conducted  on  the  most  advanced  scientific 
principles  under  the  superintendence  of  Dr.  Macartney. 
It  is,-  indeed,  a startling  innovation  on  the  old  style  of 
things.  If  the  Chinese  first  taught  us  the  use  of  guns 
(they  are  said  to  have  employed  them  in  1232  at  the 
siege  of  Khai-fung-fu),  we  are  certainly  repaying  the 
obligation  with  interest  by  instructing  them  how  our 
deadliest  weapons  are  to  be  made.  In-  this  arsenal 
many  hundreds  of  tons  of  guns  and  ammunition  arc 
manufactured  every  year,  and  I have  no  doubt  its 
products  have  already  proved  of  great  service  in  the 


NANKING  ARSENAL. 


467 


prompt  suppression  of  the  Mahometan  outbreak  in  the 
provinces  of  Kiangsu  and  Shensi.  Here  the  Chinese 
can  turn  out  heavy  guns  for  battery- trains,  or  field- 
artillery,  howitzers,  gatling-guns,  torpedoes,  rockets, 
shot,  shells,  cartridges  and  caps.  The  rocket  factory 
stands  on  an  open  plot  of  ground  some  distance  from 
the  main  building  ; and  this  is  the  place  appropriated 
to  the  filling  of  rockets  and  shells  with  their  explosive 
contents.  With  respect  to  these  arsenals  and  their 
high  state  of  efficiency,  I have  one  further  remark  to 
offer ; and  that  is,  that  were  the  strict  foreign  manage- 
ment under  which  they  have  matured  to  be  withdrawn, 
they  could  not  at  present  be  carried  on  so  as  to  be  of 
really  effectual  service.  Probably  the  same  amount  of 
money  would  be  spent  on  their  maintenance,  but  it 
would  be  subjected,  in  all  likelihood,  to  a process  of 
official  filtration  which  would  admit  of  nothing  more 
than  the  purchase  of  inferior  materials,  and  the  employ- 
ment of  labourers  so  underpaid,  that  they  would  have 
no  heart  to  bestow  honest  work  on  the  implements  of 
whose  construction  now  they  are  so  justly  proud.  An 
experiment  of  this  sort  was  once  tried,  to  humour  an 
officer  who  boasted  himself  able  to  produce  everything 
in  the  shape  of  modern  warlike  inventions  as  perfectly 
as  any  foreigner  in  the  Empire.  But  the  attempt  was 
not  repeated,  as  the  shells  he  manufactured  turned  out 
much  more  deadly  projectiles  in  the  hands  of  his  own 
men  than  they  could  ever  have  proved  in  the  ranks  of 
an  enemy.  They  were  badly  cast  with  coarse  iron, 
and  their  dangerous  imperfections  were  filled  up  with 
black-leaded  clay.  So  my  humble  opinion  is,  that 
before  the  Chinese  can  hope  to  take  a position  among 
the  civilised  Powers  of  the  world,  they  must  acquire 


468 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


something  of  simple  honesty,  and  unlearn  much  of  the 
science  of  deception  by  which  they  study  to  enrich 
themselves,  while  making  ready  to  conquer  their  foes. 
It  may  happen  that  Li-hung-chang,  the  Chinaman  who 
has  now  most  power  in  the  Empire,  will  in  time  teach 
his  subordinates  something  of  the  value  of  this  simple 
quality  of  honest  dealing. 

‘ Kin-Shan,’  or  ‘ Golden  Island  ‘ Silver  Island 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Grand  Canal,  were  the  last 
objects  of  interest  I saw  on  the  Yang-tsze  river.  The 
Grand  Canal  may  be  set  down  as  the  greatest  public 
work  of  the  race  who  wasted  years  of  needless  labour 
in  constructing  the  great  wall  to  shut  out  the  barbarous 
hordes  who,  after  all,  are  now  masters  of  the  Empire. 
But  this  huge  artificial  waterway  is  now  useless  in 
many  places,  and  utterly  broken  down  ; although  it 
might  have  proved  of  incalculable  service  in  draining 
off  the  great  waters  of  the  Yellow  River,  which  have 
from  time  to  time  spread  their  desolating  floods  over 
the  vast  productive  plains  of  the  interior. 


CHEFOO. 


469 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Chefoo — The  Foreign  Settlement — The  Yellow  River — Silk — Its  Produc- 
tion— Taku  Forts — The  Peiho  River — Chinese  Progress — Floods  in 
Pei-chil-li — Their  Effects — Tientsin — The  Sisters’  Chapel — Condition  of 
the  People — A Midnight  Storm — Tung-chow — Peking— The  Tartar 
and  Chinese  Divisions  of  the  Metropolis — Its  Roads,  Shops,  and  People 
— TheForeign  Hotel— Temple  and  Domestic  Architecture — TheTsungli 
Yamen — Prince  Kung,  and  the  High  Officers  of  the  Empire — Literary 
Championship — The  Confucian  Temple — The  Observatory — Ancient 
Chinese  Instruments — Yang’s  House — Habits  of  the  Ladies — Peking 
Enamelling — Yuen-Ming-Yuen — Remarkable  Cenotaph — A Chinese 
Army — Li-hung-chang — The  Inn  of  ‘ Patriotic  Perfection  ’ — The  Great 
Wall — The  Ming  Tombs. 


Of  late  years  Chefoo  has  become  the  favourite  water- 
ing-place for  foreigners  resident  at  Peking  or  Shanghai, 
for  there  bracing  air  and  sea-bathing  may  be  enjoyed 
during  the  hottest  months  of  summer. 

The  beach  on  which  the  European  hotel  is  built 
skirts  the  foot  of  a low  range  of  grassy  hills,  and  re- 
minded me,  in  its  semicircular  sweep  and  general  aspect, 
of  Brodic  Bay  in  Arran,  on  the  west  coast  of  Scotland. 
I have  a lively  recollection  of  Chefoo  Bay ; of  its 
stretch  which  at  the  time  appeared  interminable  ; and  of 
the  soft  yielding  sand  over  which,  with  a friend  re- 
markable alike  for  his  good-nature,  weight,  and  agility, 
I had  to  run  from  the  steamer  to  forestall  the  other 
passengers  and  secure  the  best  apartment  for  an  invalid 
lady  from  Shanghai.  The  thermometer  at  the  time 
was  standing  at  about  one  hundred  degrees  in  the 


470 


IND 0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


shade,  so  that  after  completing  our  task  we  were  in  a 
condition  to  enjoy  to  the  full  the  cool  breeze  that  swept 
through  the  verandah  of  the  hotel.  It  was  an  unpre- 
tending but  charming  retreat,  and  none  the  less  so  on 
account  of  the  many  comforts  which  the  enterprising 
proprietor  had  in  store  for  his  guests. 

Chefoo  foreign  settlement  lies  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  bay,  and  is  about  the  least  inviting  place  of  the 
kind  on  the  coast.  But  still  we  must  not  forget  that  it 
enjoys  the  honour  of  standing  on  the  ground  of  the 
most  classic  province  in  the  Empire,  where  the  engineer- 
ing labours  of  the  celebrated  Yu  were  in  part  performed. 
Confucius,  too,  was  a native  of  the  Shan-tung  province, 
and  so  indeed  was  Mensius  his  successor.  While 
Pythagoras  was  pursuing  his  philosophical  researches 
at  Crotona,  Confucius  was  compiling  the  classical  lore 
that  has  since  been  to  China  what  the  compass  is  to 
the  mariner  at  sea.  But  this  ancient  guide  to  national 
prosperity,  social,  political,  and  religious,  when  relied 
on  by  those  who  now-a-days  control  the  helm  of  the 
Empire,  is  as  untrustworthy  as  the  compass  in  a man-of- 
war,  where  the  steersman  makes  no  allowance  for  the 
influences  of  the  iron  plates  and  steel  guns  with  which 
science  has  surrounded  his  needle.  And  yet  fain  would 
the  wisest  Confucianists  of  the  ‘ Central  Flowery  Land  ’ 
still  rivet  their  fond  gaze  on  their  ancient  books ; fain 
would  they  guide  their  steps  by  the  rushlight  of  a dim 
science  and  philosophy,  lit  by  sages  of  a thousand 
years  ago ; and  that  though  truth,  like  the  sun  in  noon- 
day splendour,  is  shining  on  the  nations  around. 

The  foreign  trade  of  Chefoo  is  small,  though  not 
unimportant.  Whether  it  be  that  the  natives  affect 
more  the  simple  robes  of  their  ancient  sages  than  the 


FOREIGN  TRADE. 


47i 


less  costly  cotton  fabrics  of  Manchester,  or  whether 
the  constantly  recurring  floods  of  the  ‘ Hwang-ho’  or 
‘Yellow  River’  have  so  impoverished  the  inland  dis- 
tricts as  to  materially  damage  trade,  is  a difficult 
point  to  determine.  At  any  rate  the  commercial  rela- 
tions of  Chefoo  with  the  outer  world  are  by  no  means 
so  extensive  as  they  might,  and  undoubtedly  would  be, 
were  foreigners  and  their  wares  once  freely  admitted 
into  the  interior,  and  European  science  made  use  of 
for  keeping  the  old  waterways  open,  draining  the  plains, 
and  thus  protecting  the  people  from  the  grievous  inun- 
dations that  annually  lay  waste  their  lands. 

Since  the  Yellow  River  has  changed  its  course  and 
now  flows  to  the  north  of  the  Shan-tung  mountains,  a 
great  portion  of  the  Grand  Canal  has  been  rendered 
useless.  In  many  places  the  banks  have  been  carried 
away,  and  an  eye-witness  has  described  the  scene  in 
the  following  words  : — ‘ For  dreariness  and  desolation 
no  scene  can  exceed  that  which  the  Yellow  River 
here  presents ; everything,  natural  and  artificial,  is 
at  the  mercy  of  the  muddy  dun-coloured  waters  as 
they  sweep  on  their  course  towards  the  sea.’ 1 

But  we  shall  see,  as  we  pass  through  Pei-chil-li, 
how  these  floods  actually  affect  the  people.  Thus 
while  a considerable  extent  of  country  suffers  from 
the  withdrawal  of  the  great  river  from  its  old 
channel,  parts  of  Shan-tung  and  Pei-chil-li  come  in 
for  a superabundant  share  of  its  waters.  Notwith- 
standing this  there  are  some  portions  of  the  former 
province  which  are  as  productive  as  any  soil  in  the 
world,  and  where  the  nature  of  the  climate  is  favour- 


1 Journal  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  xl.  5. 


472 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


able  to  the  culture  of  a wide  range  of  products.  These 
include  millet,  wheat,  barley,  rice,  tobacco,  and  beans — 
the  latter,  in  the  shape  of  ‘ bean  cake,’  forming  a valu- 
able article  of  exportation.  Besides  the  foregoing  a 
certain  sort  of  dark-coloured  silk  fabric,  known  as 
‘ Pongee  ’ silk,  is  produced  in  Shan-tung,  and  exported 
in  steadily  increasing  quantities  from  Chefoo.  This 
silk  is  obtained  from  a wild  black  worm  that  feeds  on  a 
different  kind  of  leaf  from  the  mulberry.  Rearing  silk- 
worms in  China  is  an  exceedingly  delicate  process,  and 
one  which  one  might  almost  have  supposed  unsuited 
to  the  natives,  for  the  little  worm  is  most  exacting  in  its 
habits.  It  has  even  been  stated  that  it  will  refuse  either 
to  feed  or  to  work  before  strangers ; and  the  Chinese 
aver  that  it  cannot  endure  the  presence  of  foreigners 
or  the  sounds  of  barbaric  tongues.  If  in  this  respect 
it  resembles  its  masters,  it  differs  from  them  widely  in 
its  abhorrence  of  uncleanly  odours,  and  indeed  in  a 
polluted  atmosphere  will  sicken  and  starve  itself  to 
death.  For  this  reason  the  Chinese,  from  the  time 
when  the  worm  emerges  from  the  egg  to  the  moment 
when  it  perishes  in  its  own  silken  robe,  must  suffer 
great  inconvenience  by  the  compulsory  absence  of  all 
those  strong  smells  wherein  so  many  of  them  take  an 
unaffected  delight.  No  wonder,  then,  if  the  close  of  the 
silk  season,  when  the  dainty  little  toiler  has  woven  its 
shroud  and  met  its  doom,  should  be  one  of  great 
rejoicing. 

Like  the  culture  of  tea,  silk — which  confers  an 
enormous  revenue  on  China  and  has  now  become  a 
luxury  indispensable  to  the  world — is  the  most  mo- 
dest industry  imaginable.  Let  us  cast  a glance  on 
the  various  progressive  steps  through  which  the 


SILK. 


473 


staple  passes  till  it  is  ready  for  the  looms  of  China  or 
Lyons. 

The  eggs  are  hatched  about  the  middle  of  April, 
and  the  best  season  to  obtain  them  for  exportation  is 
in  March  or  the  beginning  of  April.  The  young  worms, 
when  hatched,  are  placed  on  bamboo  frames  and  fed  on 
mulberry-leaves  cut  up  into  small  shreds.  As  the 
worms  increase  in  size  they  are  transferred  to  a larger 
number  of  frames,  and  are  fed  with  leaves  not  so  finely 
shred  ; and  so  the  process  continues  until,  in  their  last 
stage,  the  leaves  are  given  to  them  entire.  The  price 
of  leaves  runs  from  four  shillings  and  sixpence  to  eight 
shillings  a picul  (133  lbs.). 

After  hatching,  the  worms  continue  eating  during 
five  days,  and  then  sleep  for  the  first  time  for  two  days. 
When  they  awake  again  their  appetite  is  not  quite  so 
good,  and  they  usually  eat  for  four  days  only  and  sleep 
again  for  two  days  more.  Then  they  eat  for  the  third 
time  for  four  days  and  repose  for  two.  This  eating 
and  sleeping  is  usually  repeated  four  times,  and  then, 
having  gained  full  strength,  they  proceed  to  spin  their 
cocoons.  The  task  of  spinning  occupies  from  four  to 
seven  days  more ; and  when  this  business  is  completed 
three  days  are  spent  in  stripping  off  the  cocoon,  and 
some  seven  days  later  each  small  cultivator  brings  his 
silken  harvest  to  the  local  market  and  disposes  of  it  to 
native  traders,  who  make  it  up  into  bales. 

Leaving  popular  superstitious  influences  out  of 
account,  the  quality  of  the  silk  is  first  of  all  affected  by 
the  breed  of  the  worms  that  spin  it,  then  by  the  quality  of 
the  leaves  and  the  mode  of  feeding.  As  I have  already 
remarked,  the  silk-worm  is  injured  by  noise,  by  the 
presence  and  especially  by  the  handling  of  strangers, 


474 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  by  noxious  smells.  They  must  be  fed,  too,  at 
regular  hours,  and  the  temperature  of  the  apartment 
must  not  be  too  high. 

The  greatest  defect  in  Chinese  silk  is  due  to  the 
primitive  mode  of  reeling  which  the  natives  adopt,  and 
if  they  could  only  be  induced  to  use  foreign  reeling 
machines  its  value  might  be  raised  40  or  50  per  cent. 
The  rude  way  in  which  silk  is  at  present  reeled  im- 
parts damaging  irregularities  to  the  thread.  Shanghai 
is  the  great  silk  mart,  and  there,  about  June  1,  the 
first  season’s  silk  is  usually  brought  down.  It  is  never 
the  growers  who  bring  the  silk  to  the  foreign  market. 
These  growers  are  invariably  small  farmers,  who  either 
purchase  the  leaves,  or  have  a few  mulberry  bushes 
planted  in  some  odd  corner  of  their  tilled  lands,  and 
the  rearing  of  the  worm  and  the  production  of  silk  by 
no  means  monopolise  the  whole  of  their  time.  It  is 
only  a spring  occupation  for  the  women  and  younger 
members  of  their  families.  Chinese  merchants  or  brokers 
proceed  to  the  country  markets,  and  there  collect  the 
produce  until  they  have  secured  enough  to  make  up  a 
parcel  for  the  Shanghai  or  Chefoo  markets,  where  it  is 
bought  up  by  foreigners  for  exportation. 

I paid  two  visits  to  Chefoo,  and  must  have  ex- 
perienced the  extremes  of  temperature.  On  the  first 
occasion  the  heat  was  intense,  but  on  my  return  the 
cold  was  so  severe  that  my  boy  Ahong  had  his  ears 
and  nose  frost-bitten.  We  had  proceeded  to  a hill- 
top to  obtain  a picture  of  Chefoo,  but  the  north-west 
wind,  blowing  from  the  icy  steppes  of  Mongolia,  was 
like  to  freeze  the  blood  in  our  veins.  Having,  however, 
succeeded  in  taking  a photograph,  I sent  to  a neigh- 
bouring hut  for  a bottle  of  water  to  wash  the  negative  ; 


TAKU  FORTS. 


475 


but  no  sooner  had  I withdrawn  the  plate  from  the 
shelter  of  the  dark  tent,  and  poured  the  water  over  it, 
than  the  liquid  froze  on  its  surface  and  hung  in  icicles 
around  its  edge.  Ahong  was  standing  nearly  knee- 
deep  in  snow,  with  his  face  buried  in  his  coat  sleeves ; 
and  as  for  the  bottle,  the  water  within  had  frozen  into  a 
solid  lump.  In  spite  of  these  difficulties  we  adjourned 
to  a friendly  hut,  where  we  thawed  the  plate  over  a 
charcoal  fire  and  washed  it  with  hot  water.  Circula- 
tion had  been  arrested  at  the  point  of  A hong’s  nose 
and  also  round  his  ears,  so  that  sores  broke  out  soon 
after,  and  for  the  space  of  a month  or  more  kept  him 
in  lively  recollection  of  Chefoo. 

The  next  place  of  importance  at  which  we  touched 
on  our  route  north  was  Taku,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Peiho.  The  Taku  forts  are  mud  strongholds,  which 
have  been  often  and  well  described.  At  the  time  of 
my  visit  these  forts  had  been  under  repair  ; still  they 
were  not  yet  properly  garrisoned,  nor  were  their  guns 
all  mounted.  I passed  along  a stone  pavement  which 
leads  from  the  river  across  the  inner  extremity  of  the 
mud  slough.  It  was  here,  in  1859,  that  so  many  of  our 
men  were  shot  down  in  the  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
storm  the  southern  fort.  We  carried  the  place  without 
much  difficulty  a twelvemonth  afterwards.  The  only 
entrance  into  this  fort  is  across  a wide  ditch  from 
behind.  As  for  me,  I passed  inside  it  without  a word 
being  asked  ; for,  indeed,  there  were  only  one  or  two 
coolies  loitering  about  the  enclosure.  The  walls  are 
of  great  thickness,  and  built,  as  formerly,  of  mud  and 
millet-stalks — a composition  well  adapted  to  resist  shot. 
Within  were  two  batteries  of  over  fifty  guns  a-piece, 
one  above  the  other,  and  commanding  the  entrance  to 


4?6 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  stream.  Some  of  them,  however,  were  rusty, 
badly  mounted  on  their  carriages,  and  altogether  sadly 
in  want  of  repair.  Lastly,  I noticed  two  large  Ameri- 
can smooth-bores  lying  half  buried  in  mud  in  front  of 
the  officers’  quarters.  On  the  whole  the  place  wore 
the  look  of  a deserted  mud-quarry  rather  than  a fortress. 
But  I have  been  informed  that  a great  change  has 
since  come  over  the  scene — that  these  fortresses,  one 
on  each  side  of  the  Peiho,  are  now  armed  with  Krupp 
guns  and  properly  garrisoned  ; so  that  thus  the  defence 


TAKU  FORTS. 


of  the  capital  has  been  secured,  after  a scheme  planned 
out  and  decided  upon  long  before  the  Formosa  diffi- 
culty cropped  up.  I myself  saw  a battery  of  Krupp 
guns  landed  at  Tientsin  before  I left  that  place  of  dark 
memories ; and,  indeed,  there  can  be  no  question  that 
the  Chinese  are  busily  arming  themselves  with  modern 
weapons,  laying  up  stores  of  destructive  projectiles 
and  ammunition,  and  addressing  themselves  with 
earnestness  to  the  task  of  guarding  their  own  shores 
from  invasion.  It  may  be — nay,  it  must  be — that 
there  is  a purpose  in  all  this.  The  Chinese  Govern- 


CHINESE  POLICY. 


477 


inent  have  not  been  blind  all  these  years  to  what  has 
been  going  on  in  Japan,  to  say  nothing  of  the  visions 
they  may  entertain  of  possible  encounters  with  more 
formidable  foes.  They  undoubtedly  still  retain  the 
notion  that  they  have  an  absolute  right  to  do  what 
they  like  with  their  own  country  and  in  it ; and  they 
are  probably  only  preparing  themselves  to  assert  or 
defend  this  right  when  a suitable  opportunity  presents 
itself.  Prince  Kung,  in  his  despatch  about  the  Woosung 
bar  at  Shanghai,  has  declined  to  dredge  a channel  to 
facilitate  trade,  and  looks  upon  the  sand-bank  as  a 
barrier  set  there  by  Divine  Providence  to  aid  the 
Chinese  in  the  defence  of  the  country  and  its  ap- 
proaches. He  further  points  out  that  each  nation  has 
a right  to  guard  and  protect  its  own  territory  by  the 
means  it  alone  deems  best.  It  is  perhaps  very  natural 
to  suppose  that  China  was  made  exclusively  for  the 
support  of  Chinamen,  and  that  no  other  race  has  a 
right  to  question  this  divine  arrangement,  or  to  seek 
by  the  simple  dredging  of  a sand-bar  to  thwart  the 
plans  of  a kind  Providence,  who  is  thus  closing  up  the 
river-courses  against  the  commerce  which  furnishes 
millions  of  Chinese  with  means  to  feed  and  clothe 
themselves  that  formerly  they  could  never  have  ob- 
tained. 

In  this  narrow  policy  there  is  not  the  faintest  re- 
cognition of  that  divine  progress  which,  by  a thousand 
telegraphs,  railways,  and  industries,  is  tending  more 
and  more  to  bind  the  nations  of  the  earth  together  in 
one  universal  kinmanship,  where,  by  free  intercourse 
and  liberal  enlightened  government,  peoples  of  every 
nation,  kindred,  and  tongue,  will  be  rendered  mutually 
dependent  on  each  other. 


478 


IND  O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


Perhaps  the  mandarins  in  charge  of  the  hydro- 
graphy of  Pei-chil-li  will  also  say  that  the  waters  which 
have  perpetually  laid  waste  the  province  wherein  the 
Imperial  city  stands  have  been  sent  there  by  divine 
superintendence,  to  prevent  the  advance  of  an  enemy 
on  their  great  metropolis.  And  yet  few  enemies  could 
work  more  disasters  in  annual  raids  over  the  fertile 
plains  of  Shan-tung  and  Pei-chil-li  than  do  those  turbid 
waters  which  the  Yellow  River,  with  an  awful  certainty, 
spreads  far  and  wide  through  these  provinces  from 
year  to  year.  In  spite  of  this,  by  the  exercise  of  a 
little  foresight  and  honesty,  the  great  Hwang-ho,  which 
in  former  days  was  only  a messenger  of  peace  and 
plenty,  might  be  kept  flowing  on  within  its  natural 
channel. 

The  inundations  were  predicted  just  as  they  hap- 
pened years  before  the  swollen  river  burst  its  barriers 
at  Lung-men-Kan,  and  might  have  been  easily  pre- 
vented by  keeping  clear  ‘ what  has  always  been  an 
artificial  channel.’ 1 The  business  was  put  off,  however, 
from  one  year  to  another,  until  at  last  the  red  flood 
burst  upon  the  plains,  and  transformed  a fruitful 
smiling  country  into  lakes,  lagoons,  and  pestilential 
marshes. 

As  we  steamed  up  the  Peiho  there  were  many 
places  where  not  a trace  of  the  river’s  banks  was  to  be 
discovered,  and  the  further  we  ascended  the  more 
apparent  became  the  fearful  ravages  of  the  flood.  The 
millet-crop  was  rotting  under  water,  and  whole  hamlets 
had  in  many  places  been  swept  away.  The  village  dwel- 
lings, like  the  Taku  forts,  were  for  the  most  part  con- 


Journal  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  xl.  19. 


THE  COUNTRY  UNDER  WATER. 


479 


structed  of  millet-stalks  and  mud  ; but  however  well 
calculated  to  resist  the  shots  of  an  ordinary  foe,  these 
frail  abodes,  one  by  one,  had  silently  dissolved  before 
the  invading  waters,  leaving  nothing  behind  them  but 
something  that  looked  like  grave-mounds,  the  melan- 
choly landmarks  of  each  new  work  of  desolation.  We 
could  see  the  wretcheci  villagers  squatting  on  the  tops 
of  their  hillocks,  sheltered  by  scraps  of  thatch  or 
matting  which  they  had  rescued  from  the  flood.  All 
who  had  the  means  were  removing  to  Tientsin,  where 
the  authorities  were  said  to  be  doing  their  utmost  to 
relieve  the  sufferers.  Singularly  enough  I overheard 
a Chinaman  say  that  he  considered  the  flood  a punish- 
ment for  the  Tientsin  massacre,  which  had  occurred 
just  a year  before. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  estimate  the  misery  that 
such  disasters  bring  upon  the  toiling  poor  of  the  pro- 
vince, who  are  thus  bereft  of  food,  shelter,  and  fuel ; 
and  that,  too,  when  the  winter  is  just  at  hand.  The 
scene  on  all  sides  presented  one  sheet  of  water,  only 
broken  by  the  wrecks  of  villages,  and  by  islands  of 
mud,  where  herds  of  cattle  were  packed  and  perishing 
for  want  of  pasture.  Men,  women,  and  children,  were 
to  be  seen  fishing  in  the  shallows  of  their  harvest- fields. 
F'ish  were  abundant  ; and  this  was  fortunate,  as  the 
people  had  little  else  to  subsist  on.  How  they  got 
through  the  hot  days  and  cold  nights,  and  how  many 
of  them  survived  their  hardships  only  to  be  subjected 
to  them  in  the  succeeding  year,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
We  could  tell  from  the  bodies  drifting  seaward  that 
Death  was  busy  among  them,  relieving  the  sick  and 
satisfying  the  hungry  in  his  own  sad  final  way. 

The  Chinese,  like  all  peoples  both  ancient  and 


480 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


modern,  have  a superstitious  dread  of  disturbing  the 
resting-places  of  their  dead.  For  many  miles  around 
Tientsin  the  country  is  one  vast  burial-ground,  and  it 
was  pitiful  to  notice  the  efforts  the  living  were  making 
to  lash  the  coffins  of  their  dead  to  trees  or  to  posts 
which  they  had  driven  into  the  mud.  But  numbers 
of  the  huge  clumsy  coffins  were  to  be  seen  floating 
adrift,  with  no  living  relation  to  care  for  their  silent 
occupants. 

The  water  was  so  deep  that  in  many  places  the 
tortuous  river’s  channel  had  been  abandoned,  and 
native  craft  were  sailing  overland,  so  to  speak,  direct 
for  the  city. 

Our  steamer,  the  ‘Sin-nan-sing,’  had  great  difficulty 
in  turning  the  sharp  bends  of  the  river ; her  bow  would 
stick  in  the  mud  of  one  bank,  and  her  screw  in  the 
other  ; but  at  length  Tientsin  was  reached,  and  there 
we  found  the  water  five  or  six  feet  deep  at  the  back  of 
the  foreign  settlement,  and  the  Peking  road  submerged. 
The  club,  too,  was  surrounded,  and  could  only  be 
reached  by  boat,  and  boating  excursions  could  also  be 
made  to  the  celebrated  treaty  joss-house. 

The  foreigners  were  looking  forward  to  the  pros- 
pect of  soon  being  shut  in  by  a sea  of  ice.  Here,  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  was  a British  hotel  called  ‘ The 
Astor  House,’  its  modest  proportions  almost  concealed 
by  the  huge  sign-board  in  front.  This  establishment 
was  constructed  of  mud,  and  on  one  side  of  it  a window 
had  fallen  out,  while  on  the  other  the  wall  had  fallen 
in.  I had  a look  at  this  unpromising  exterior,  and 
some  conversation  with  its  proprietor.  The  latter  was 
an  Englishman,  and  he  lamented  to  me  over  the 
wreck  of  his  property.  There  were  still  two  apart- 


TIENTSIN. 


481 


ments  in  front,  one  containing  a billiard-table  and  the 
other  a bar  ; but  a couple  of  mud  bed-rooms  had  dis- 
solved, and  could  be  seen  in  solution  through  a broken 
wall.  The  stabling  in  the  rear,  also,  out  of  sheer 
depression  at  losing  its  occupants,  had  taken  a header 
into  the  water  and  disappeared.  We  next  passed  out 
of  doors  to  examine  the  ravages  of  the  flood  in  sundry 
outhouses,  which  had  also  settled  down ; but  the  dreary 
prospect  was  obscured  by  a cloud  of  musquitoes,  the 
pests  of  the  place  during  the  summer  months.  In  the 
bar-room  I found  a Scotchman  connected  with  the 
Tientsin  Powder  Factory,  saying  some  very  hard 
things  about  the  peculiar  views  of  a Chinese  tailor  to 
whom  he  had  entrusted  some  ‘varaguid  braid  claith 
to  mak  a pair  of  breeks.’  It  appeared  that  the  tailor 
had  found  it  necessary,  on  account  of  family  concerns, 
to  remove  from  Tientsin  to  another  district,  and  had 
taken  the  cloth  with  him  without  going  through  the 
ceremony  of  leaving  his  card. 

I slept  on  board  the  steamer,  and  started  for 
Peking  on  August  29.  Before  setting  out  I engaged 
a Tientsin  man  named  Tao,  or  ‘ Virtue,’  at  the  rate  of 
nine  dollars  a month  ; but  this  sum  was  a trifle  com- 
pared with  what  he  intended  to  make  out  of  me,  as  in 
every  transaction,  whether  it  was  simply  to  change  a 
dollar  into  cash  or  to  buy  provisions,  he  made  a profit- 
able bargain  for  himself.  My  own  southern  men  could 
have  managed  better,  although  they  were  ignorant  of 
the  northern  dialect,  and  could  only  make  known  their 
wants  in  writing.  Systematic  pilfering,  however,  I 
soon  discovered  to  be  the  common  attribute  of  servants 
in  the  north. 

We  engaged  a boat  to  convey  us  to  Tung-chow, 


482 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


the  nearest  point  by  water  to  Peking.  This  boat 
carried  a wooden  house  in  the  centre,  which  could  be 
shut  up  all  round  at  night,  so  as  to  keep  the  cold  out ; 
and  it  was  just  large  enough  to  accommodate  my  party 
and  baggage.  The  space  within  it  was  divided  into 
two  compartments,  and  in  the  after  one  stood  a clay 
cooking-galley,  around  which  the  boys  were  stowed. 
Our  crew  consisted  of  a father,  Wong-Tsing,  and  his 
two  sons  Wong-su  and  Wong-soon.  We  had  to  make 
our  way  up  through  the  city  of  Tientsin  along  a narrow 
ever-changing  channel  between  thousands  of  native 
trading-boats.  Many  of  these,  to  all  outward  appear- 
ance, were  in  the  last  stages  of  dry  rot,  although,  accord- 
ing to  the  strange  notions  of  the  Chinese,  they  would 
be  esteemed  in  every  respect  seaworthy  as  long  as  they 
could  hold  together.  The  only  sound  pieces  of  wood 
about  them  were  slung  over  tlje  side,  to  prevent  the 
iron-spiked  poles  of  passing  boatmen  from  destroying 
the  crazy  old  hulls. 

It  was  not  without  a free  use  of  such  poles,  and  the 
vilest  epithets  in  the  language,  that  we  got  clear  of  the 
floating  Babel  at  last.  The  left  bank,  hereabouts,  was 
covered  with  mounds  of  salt,  piled  up  beneath  the  mat 
sheds  which  the  salt  monopolist  had  erected  to  protect 
his  precious  store. 

Here,  too,  were  junks  laden  with  cargoes  of  cotton 
and  cotton  fabrics,  which  the  Chinese  merchants  were 
about  to  convey  to  the  markets  of  the  interior.  These 
native  merchants  have  their  own  agents  in  Shanghai, 
who  send  up  cotton,  piece  goods,  opium,  and  other 
foreign  products,  in  the  steamers  which  ply  between 
that  port  and  Tientsin. 

The  river  at  this  point  was  about  200  yards  wide, 


RUINS  OF  THE  SISTERS'  CHAPEL.  483 

and  on  the  right  bank  Tao  pointed  out  the  black  bare 
walls  of  the  Sisters’  Chapel,  that  had  been  burned 
twelve  months  before.  There,  too,  we  could  see  the 
ruins  of  the  hospital,  where  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  had 
consecrated  their  lives  to  the  ministration  of  the  sick, 
and  to  rescuing  outcast  children;  for  which  good  works 
they  had  here  been  brutally  murdered  by  an  ignorant 
and  superstitious  mob.  There  was  still  a heap  of 
ashes  in  front  of  the  edifice,  and  the  long  breach  in  its 
wall  through  which  the  murderers  dragged  their  hap- 
less victims  to  their  doom.  The  breach  had  indeed 
been  plastered  up  with  mud,  a fitting  type  of  the  un- 
satisfactory way  in  which  the  Chinese  sought  to  atone 
for  an  outrage  which  was  perpetrated  almost  within 
sight  of  the  Governor-General's  yamen. 

From  this  point,  too,  we  could  descry,  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  reach,  the  imposing  ruins  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  cathedral,  the  only  striking  object  in  the  city 
of  Tientsin ; and  the  reflection  was  forced  upon  me, 
from  what  1 know  of  native  superstition,  that  that  noble 
pile  of  building,  standing  as  it  did  so  much  above  what 
the  Chinese  themselves  hold  most  sacred  in  their 
yamens  and  shrines,  must  in  itself  have  stirred  up  a 
bitter  feeling  against  foreigners.  This  feeling  was 
without  doubt  greatly  intensified  by  horrible  stories 
most  ingeniously  spread  abroad  by  the  literary  mem- 
bers of  society,  describing  how  foreigners  manufacture 
medicines  from  the  eyes  and  hearts  of  Chinese  children, 
or  even  of  adults.  In  the  latter  case  it  is  to  procure 
silver  that  these  practices  are  alleged  to  be  carried  on  ; 
and  this  we  may  gather  from  the  accompanying  passage 
out  of  a native  work  which  was  in  brisk  circulation 
when  the  massacre  took  place.  ‘ The  reason  for  ex- 

35 


484 


IND O-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


tracting  the  eyes  is  this.  From  one  hundred  pounds 
of  Chinese  lead  can  be  extracted  eight  pounds  of  silver, 
and  the  remaining  ninety-two  pounds  of  lead  can  be 
sold  at  the  original  cost.  But  the  only  way  to  obtain 
this  silver  is  by  compounding  the  lead  with  the  eyes  of 
Chinamen.  The  eyes  of  foreigners  are  of  no  use, 
hence  they  do  not  take  out  the  eyes  of  their  own 
people.’  Further  on  it  says  : ‘ The  people  of  France 
without  exception  follow  the  false  and  corrupt  Tien- 
chu  religion.  They  have  devilish  arts  by  which  they 
transform  men  into  beasts,’  &c. 

This  pamphlet  is  full  of  matter  unfit  for  quotation, 
and  concludes  with  an  appeal  to  the  people  to  rise  and 
exterminate  the  hated  strangers  : — 

‘ Therefore,  these  contemptible  beings  having 
aroused  our  righteous  wrath,  we,  heartily  adhering  to 
the  kingdom  of  our  sovereign,  would  not  only  give 
vent  to  a little  of  the  hate  that  will  not  allow  us  to 
stand  under  the  same  heaven  with  them,  but  would 
make  an  eternal  end  of  the  distress  of  being  obliged  to 
have  them  ever  near  us.  . . .If  the  temporising  policy 
is  adopted,  this  non-human  species  will  again  increase.’1 
The  author  goes  on,  without  mincing  matters,  to  urge 
the  utter  extermination  of  foreigners,  and  the  preser- 
vation of  the  virtuous  followers  of  Confucius.  When 
we  consider  that  this  pamphlet  had  a wide,  though,  as 
it  was  pretended,  a secret  circulation ; and  above  all, 
when  we  reflect  on  the  utter  ignorance  and  superstition, 
and  the  savage  fierceness,  of  the  half-starved  classes 
whom  it  professed  to  caution  and  enlighten,  and  on 
whom  the  calm,  moderate,  and  subtle  style  of  some  of 


1 Death-blou  to  Corrupt  Doctrines. 


DOMESTIC  ARCHITECTURE . 


485 


its  worst  passages  must  have  produced  a fearful  effect, 
we  cannot  wonder  at  the  result.  So  far  as  I can  judge, 
too,  the  future  looks  dark  and  foreboding  ; nor  will 
matters  mend  while  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  per- 
sist in  offering  violence  to  Chinese  prejudices  by 
raising  their  churches  far  above  the  level  of  the  highest 
roofs  of  the  Imperial  Palace  itself,  and  by  exercising  a 
sort  of  semi-political  protection  over  their  converts. 

Tao  believed  implicitly  in  the  strange  stories  which 
he  had  heard  about  the  priests,  and  about  the  poor 
Sisters  who  had  been  so  cruelly  put  to  death.  The 
ruins  now  were  being  carefully  guarded  by  a fleet  of 
native  gun-boats  ; but  there  were  none  of  them  at  hand 
when  succour  was  really  needed,  nor  did  they  reach  the 
spot  until  long  after  the  deed  had  been  accomplished. 

I could  not  refrain  from  offering  some  remarks 
to  my  new  man  about  the  miserable  mud  huts  in 
which  his  countrymen  dwelt.  Whereupon,  with  a 
vanity  not  uncommon  in  his  race — although  it  surprised 
me  at  the  time — he  pointed  out  what  he  held  to  be 
the  advantages  of  occupying  such  abodes.  His  argu- 
ment ran  something  like  this  : — The  materials,  mud 
and  millet-stalks,  can  be  had  all  over  the  plain  at  every 
man’s  doorway  cheaply  ; for  the  lifting,  indeed ; where- 
as wood  and  stone  are  too  dear  for  poor  people  to 
procure.  Then,  again,  with  such  materials  every  man 
can  be  his  own  architect  and  mason ; and  finally,  when 
floods  and  rain  dissolve  the  tenement,  it  sinks  down 
quietly,  forming  a mound  on  which  the  furniture  and 
domestic  utensils  may  repose,  and  on  which  the  family 
may  sit  till  the  waters  have  subsided,  and  they  are 
able  to  set  too  again,  and  raise  up  their  broken  walls. 

The  river  here  is  spanned  by  one  or  two  pontoon 


486 


IN  DO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


bridges,  which  had  to  be  opened  to  let  us  pass  through. 
These  bridges  form  great  impediments  to  the  traffic, 
both  on  land  and  by  water ; for  the  pontoon  is  never 
pulled  up  to  make  a passage  until  about  a dozen  junks 
and  boats  have  collected,  and  their  owners,  who  by 
that  time  have  been  long  waiting  for  the  event,  are 
clamouring  and  fighting  amongst  themselves  to  get 
first  through.  While  the  boats  are  passing  through, 
the  land  traffic  is  of  course  interrupted,  and  crowds  of 
foot  passengers  and  vehicles  are  pressing  forward  on 
each  side  of  the  aperture  to  await  the  replacement  of 
the  pontoon.  One  or  two  of  them,  unable  to  make 
their  way  back,  were  driven  over  into  the  water,  and 
rescued  by  boat-hooks  as  we  passed.  The  narrow 
wooden  pavement  of  the  bridge'was  made  still  narrower 
by  a throng  of  shops  and  stalls,  lepers,  beggars,  and 
jugglers. 

The  country  on  both  sides  of  the  stream  presented 
a poor  aspect,  and  seemed  to  be  anything  but  thickly 
populated.  Many  of  the  houses,  in  the  mud  villages 
which  we  passed,  were  overgrown  with  grass  and  weeds 
to  such  an  extent  that  they  hardly  looked  like  human 
abodes  ; while  the  finest,  or  rather  the  least  objection- 
able, specimens  of  the  domestic  architecture  of  the 
district,  though  to  all  appearance  built  of  solid  brick, 
proved  not  to  be  really  so  constructed.  Thus  there 
were  some  of  them  where  builders  were  at  work,  and 
then  the  walls  were  seen  to  consist  only  of  two  thin 
layers  of  bricks  filled  in  with  mud  ; but  should  the 
mud  by  some  leak  in  the  roof  become  moist,  it  settles 
gradually  down.  Simultaneously  the  brick  barrier  begins 
to  bulge  out,  and  increases  in  size  slowly,  until  at  last 
it  bursts  and  discharges  the  mud,  whose  presence  it 


DRY  LAND. 


487 


can  no  longer  confine.  Other  houses  of  a much  more 
ingenious  kind  were  made  of  a sort  of  honeycomb 
of  brick  filled  in  with  clay.  This  might  form  a cheap 
style  of  wall  for  the  erection  of  our  magnificent  modern 
London  terraces,  where  the  houses  are,  I believe,  built 
in  continuous  blocks,  simply  to  prevent  them  from 
being  blown  down  like  nine-pins.  But  these  honey- 
combed brick  walls  were  really  very  ingenious,  whereas 
our  metropolitan  masonry  is  quite  the  opposite. 

As  the  land  rose  towards  the  hills,  which  sweep 
like  a crescent  around  the  north  of  Peking,  we  emerged 
from  the  flooded  plains  into  a less  desolate  region, 
where  the  people  were  not  so  destitute  of  the  common 
necessaries  of  life,  and  where  the  banks  were  lined 
with  ripe  fields  of  millet.  Our  boatmen,  like  the 
dwellers  on  land,  lived  on  the  flour  of  this  useful  cereal, 
which  they  season  with  salt-fish  and  garlic.  The 
flour  is  made  into  bread,  or  rather  cooked  and  pulled 
out  into  strings  of  hot  tough  elastic  dough.  This  the 
people  consumed  in  great  quantities  at  meal-times,  and 
always  appeared  to  recover  from  its  effects,  although 
to  me  it  seemed  just  about  as  digestible  as  worsted 
balls,  rolls  of  flannel,  or  india-rubber  cables. 

Here  we  encountered  many  ponies,  mules,  and 
donkeys  in  use  ; the  mules  being  of  an  exceedingly  fine 
breed,  and  having,  many  of  them,  zebra  stripes — across 
the  legs.  As  for  the  -donkeys,  they  were  thoroughly 
domesticated,  and  followed  their  masters*  to  and  fro 
like  dogs. 

The  huts  improved  in  appearance  as  we  neared 
Tung-chow,  and  the  villagers,  too,  were  more  robust- 
looking,  although  even  the  best  of  these,  in  spite  ol 
their  willow-shaded  dwellings  and  their  harvest-fields, 


488 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


betrayed  evidences  of  a hard-struggling  hand-to-mouth 
existence. 

I shall  never  forget  a sunset  which  I witnessed  in 
this  district,  and  which  even  produced  an  impression 
on  my  material-minded  Chinese  followers.  So  much 
was  this  the  case  that  the  Wong  family  insisted  on  a 
halt,  and  my  boys  cooked  my  dinner  with  native  garlic 
— a graceful  compliment  to  the  charms  of  the  locality, 
though  disgusting  to  my  own  less  educated  tastes. 
There  was  an  unnatural  heat,  and  an  oppressive  still- 
ness in  the  air.  The  sky  was  aflame  with  saffron- 
coloured  light,  while  on  the  banks  the  millet,  with  its 
thousand  plumes,  stood  out  like  a rich  entablature  of 
gold,  supported  by  the  glowing  shafts  that  the  sun 
sent  deep  down  into  the  placid  stream.  As  day  de- 
clined the  distant  hills  passed  from  a bright  sapphire 
into  a dull  leaden  hue  ; broad  shadows  were  flung  across 
the  plain,  while  a dark  ominous  cloud,  like  some  strange 
spirit  of  the  night,  caught  the  last  gleam  of  sunshine 
as  it  slowly  unfolded  its  wings  across  the  west.  Wong, 
the  skipper,  silently  cast  out  another  anchor,  and  his 
sons  moored  the  craft  stem  and  stern  to  the  bank.  It 
was  useless  urging  him  to  proceed.  He  said  : ‘No 
man  living  would  tempt  him  to  move  : the  strange  sky 
and  the  oppressive  stillness  boded  no  good  ; ’ and  so 
he  sat  and  smoked,  while  his  sons  made  all  secure. 
The  insect  world,  too,  seemed  to  chirp  and  twitter 
uneasily,  as*  if  dreading  some  impending  storm;  the 
birds  escaped  into  shelter;  and  soon  a deep  silence, 
only  broken  at  intervals  by  the  whispering  of  the  wind 
among  the  millet,  took  entire  possession  of  the  scene. 
Wong  smoked  more  than  usual,  and  kept  watch.  It 
was  well  he  did.  Placing  my  revolver  beneath  my 


//  MIDNIGHT  STORM. 


489 


pillow,  and  the  matches  close  to  the  candle,  I was  soon 
fast  asleep,  and  must  have  been  slumbering  till  about 
midnight,  when  I was  rudely  roused  by  a sudden 
shock  that  sent  me  heels  over  head  across  the  narrow 
cabin  floor.  I was  still  endeavouring  to  extricate  my- 
self from  the  miscellaneous  property  heaped  around 
me,  when  the  boat  seemed  to  be  lifted  right  out  of  the 
water,  then  struck  a second  time,  and  almost  capsized. 
We  were  caught  in  a storm.  I could  hear  the  wind 
growling  and  gathering  its  fury  for  another  blast,  as  I 
forced  the  cabin  door  to  learn  the  worst.  The  boat- 
men were  out  on  the  bank  looking  to  the  moorings  ; 
but  they  informed  me  that  the  worst  was  over. 

Meanwhile,  Ahong  and  the  others,  as  soon  as  they 
could  extricate  themselves  from  the  wreck  of  the  cook- 
ing galley,  were  out  too.  But  the  worst  was  not  over. 
Like  a remorseful  flood  of  tears  after  a fit  of  passion, 
the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents,  deluging  everything ; 
so  that  even  the  matches  were  thoroughly  soaked  and 
useless  before  I could  manage  to  lay  my  hands  upon 
them.  My  clothes  and  cotton  mattress  were  in  the 
same  sorry  condition  ; but  somehow,  when  the  rain 
abated,  and  I had  made  myself  as  comfortable  as  cir- 
cumstances would  permit,  I fell  asleep  again,  and  woke 
at  daylight  to  find  my  boys  busy  drying  their  property, 
that  they  might  appear  clothed  and  in  their  right  mind 
at  Tung-chow. 

It  was  not  till  the  afternoon  of  the  fourth  day  that 
we  reached  this  place,  though  we  made  but  another 
halt,  to  visit  a village  fair,  where  we  saw  a poor  conjuror 
perform  tricks  for  a few  cash  that  would  make  his 
fortune  on  a London  stage.  And  yet  his  greatest 
trick  of  all  was  transforming  three  copper  cash  into 


490 


IND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


gold  coin.  His  arms  were  quite  bare,  and,  having 
taken  his  cash  in  the  palm  of  his  hand,  he  permitted 
me  to  close  the  fingers  over  them.  Then,  passing  a 
wand  above  the  clenched  fist,  he  opened  it  again,  and 
feasted  the  greedy  eyes  of  his  rustic  admirers  on  what 
looked  extremely  like  glittering  gold.  He  also  killed 
a small  boy  whom  he  had  with  him  by  plunging  a knife 
into  his  body.  The  youth  became  suddenly  pale, 
seemed  to  expire,  then  jumping  up  again  removed  the 
knife  with  one  hand  while  he  solicited  patronage  with 
the  other.  There  was  one  feat  which  this  conjuror 
performed  with  wonderful  dexterity.  He  placed  a 
square  cloth  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  taking  it  by  the 
centre  between  his  forefinger  and  thumb  with  one 
hand,  he  waved  the  wand  with  the  other ; and,  gradu- 
ally raising  the  cloth,  disclosed  a huge  vase  brimful  of 
pure  water  beneath  it. 

At  Tung-chow  our  boat  was  boarded  by  at  least  a 
dozen  coolies  eager  to  carry  our  baggage.  One  of 
them  incautiously  lifted  a trunk,  and  was  making  off 
with  it,  when  he  was  suddenly  relieved  of  the  burden 
by  Tao  and  hurled  pell-mell  into  the  water.  This 
summary  procedure  on  the  part  of  my  Tientsin  man 
almost  cost  him  his  much-venerated  tail,  for  it  had 
nearly  been  torn  out  at  the  roots  by  the  infuriated 
coolies  before  I could  come  to  the  rescue.  Here  we 
engaged  carts  for  the  journey  to  the  metropolis.  These 
carts  are  the  imperial-highway  substitutes  for  our  rail- 
ways, cabs,  and  omnibuses,  but  they  have  no  springs. 
Notwithstanding  this  they  might  be  comfortable 
enough  if  so  constructed  as  to  allow  the  passenger  to 
sit  down,  and  used  only  on  a perfectly  level  road.  Tao 
had  himself  carefully  packed  into  his  conveyance  with 


TUNG-CHOW. 


491 


straw,  but  as  for  me,  not  liking  the  look  of  the  vehicles, 
I determined  to  walk  at  least  a part  of  the  way. 

There  may  be  passages  in  what  I have  still  to 
relate  which  may  seem  strange  to  a European  reader, 
and  I may  be  allowed  perhaps,  therefore,  here  to  re- 
mind him  that  I am  describing  only  what  I actually 
saw  and  experienced.  Soon  we  were  entering  Tung- 
chow,  the  carts  plunging  and  lumbering  behind  us  over 
what  at  one  time  had  been  a massively  constructed 
Mongolian  causeway.  Gallantly  the  carters  struggled 
on  beneath  an  ancient  archway,  when  suddenly  the 
thoroughfare  was  found  jammed  by  a heavily  laden 
cart  drawn  by  a team  of  mules  and  donkeys,  that  had 
stuck  fast  among  the  broken  blocks  of  stone.  Straight- 
way the  air  re-echoed  with  the  execrations  of  a hundred 
carters  who  found  their  progress  obstructed,  and  it 
was  a full  half-hour  before  we  managed  to  pass.  I 
should  think  that  the  distinguished  members  of  the 
Peking  Board  of  Works  can  hardly  have  ventured  so 
far  as  Tung-chow  on  their  tours  of  inspection.  A few 
moderate-sized  stone  walls  thrown  across  the  street 
there  could  scarcely  prove  more  serious  impediments 
to  the  traffic  than  the  existing  dilapidated  pavement. 
As  for  the  town  and  its  inhabitants,  we  had  ample 
leisure  to  inspect  them  before  the  carts  had  struggled 
clear  of  their  streets.  The  shop-fronts  were  of  richly 
carved  wood,  quite  different  from  what  one  sees  in  the 
south,  but  seemingly  stained  with  the  accumulated  dust 
of  ages.  The  townsfolk,  too,  looked  dry  and  dusty,  as 
if  they  as  well  as  their  shops  belonged  to  some  bygone 
era,  and  had  been  suddenly  unearthed  to  resume  their 
tasks  with  senses  partially  impaired  by  disuse. 

Even  outside  Tung-chow  the  roads  were  knee-deep 


492 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


in  mud,  in  consequence  of  the  heavy  rain  which  had  fallen 
during  the  previous  night,  so  that  I had  no  further  choice, 
and  perforce  took  refuge  in  the  cart.  My  driver  smelt 
of  samshu  and  garlic  ; and  placed  such  implicit  trust  in 
his  mule  that,  once  fairly  on  the  road,  he  fell  asleep  on 
the  shaft,  and  had  to  be  reminded  frequently,  by  a shove 
off  his  perch,  that  he  might  as  well  do  something  to 
extricate  his  jaded  beast  and  its  burden  from  the  pitfalls 
and  mud-pools  of  the  way.  A long  dttour,  taken  to 
avoid  an  impassable  portion  of  the  stone  highways, 
brought  us  at  last  once  more  upon  the  track,  and  then 
I wisely  determined  to  resume  walking,  as  I thought 
it  as  well  to  have  one  or  two  bones  in  my  framework 
unbroken,  to  be  relied  on  in  case  of  need. 

At  length  we  made  a halt  at  an  inn.  These  inns 
supply  food  for  man  and  beast,  and  occur  at  frequent 
intervals  along  that  road,  reminding  one  in  some  re- 
spects of  those  similar  old-fashioned  wayside  resting- 
places  which  are  now  dying  out  rapidly  in  our  own 
land. 

Outside  this  inn  ran  a long  low  wall,  whitewashed, 
and  inscribed  in  huge  black  characters  with  the  sign  or 
motto,  ‘ Perpetual  felicity  achieved.' 

Along  the  entire  front  of  this  establishment  a 
narrow  dwarf-table  had  been  set  up,  and  groups  of 
travellers  seated  round  it  discussed  reeking  bowls  of 
soup  or  tea,  and  the  latest  news  from  the  capital. 
Their  cattle  they  had  already  made  over  to  the  care  of 
hangers-on  at  the  inn. 

Tao  and  my  Hainan  men  had  gone  on  ahead,  but 
I stopped  here  and  partook  of  a dinner  a la  Chinoise , 
which  was  served  up  to  me  in  a bedroom.  This  apart- 
ment was  a filthy  place,  and  contained  nothing  on  earth 


THE  CHI  HO  GATE , PEKING. 


493 


save  a table  and  a chair,  and  a bed,  or  kang,  made  of 
bricks.  As  for  the  table,  it  vvas  covered  with  a surface 
formation  of  dirt  into  which  I could  cut  like  cheese. 
But  I must  say  that  the  dinner  here  supplied  me  was 
the  best  I ever  tasted  at  a Chinese  inn.  The  viands 
were  stewed  mutton  cut  up  into  small  pieces,  rice,  an 
omelette,  grapes,  and  tea.  The  room  had  recently 
been  used  as  a stable ; and  its  window,  filled  in  with  a 
small  wooden  frame  and  originally  covered  with  paper, 
was  now  festooned  with  dark  dirty  spiders’  webs. 
Another  long  ddour  at  length  brought  us  to  the  Chi-ho 
gate  of  the  Tartar  metropolis. 

Before  we  enter  I will  run  over  some  of  the  more 
general  characteristics  of  the  city  at  which  we  have 
now  arrived.  It  stands,  as  we  have  already  seen,  on  a 
plain  sloping  down  to  the  sea,  and  is  indeed  made  up 
of  two  towns — a Tartar  or  Manchu  quarter,  and  a 
Chinese  settlement — joined  together  by  a wall  more 
than  twenty  miles  round. 

At  the  time  of  the  Manchu  conquest  these  two 
divisions  were  parted  from  each  other  by  a second, 
inner,  wall ; the  true  natives  of  the  soil,  at  least  those 
of  them  supposed  to  be  friendly  to  the  new  dynasty, 
being  confined  within  a narrow  space  to  the  south  ; 
while  the  Tartar  army  was  encamped  around  the  Im- 
perial palace  in  the  northern  city,  which  covers  a square 
space  of  double  the  area  of  the  Chinese  town. 

In  so  far  as  the  features  I have  just  described  are 
concerned,  Peking  is  the  same  to-day  as  it  was  a trifle 
over  200  years  ago,  when  the  descendant  of  Kublai 
Khan  mounted  the  Imperial  throne.  There  are  still 
in  the  Tartar  city  the  same  high  walls  pierced  with 
nine  double  gateways ; the  same  towers  and  moats  and 


494 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


fortified  positions  ; and  within,  the  palace  is  still  sur- 
rounded by  the  permanent  Manchu  garrison,  like  that 
which  was  established  in  most  of  the  provincial  capitals 
of  China. 

The  army  wa$  originally  divided  into  four  corps, 
distinguished  by  the  white,  red,  yellow,  and  blue 
banners  under  which  they  respectively  fought.  Four 
bordered  banners  of  the  same  colours  were  subsequently 
added,  and  eight  corps  of  Mongols,  and  an  equal 
number  of  Chinese  adherents,  were  created  at  a later 
date. 

Each  corps  of  Manchu  bannermen  possesses,  or 
rather  is  supposed  to  possess,  its  ground  as  originally 
allotted  to  it  within  the  Imperial  city  ; and  before  the 
cottage  doorways  one  may  still  see  square  paper  lamps, 
whose  colours  denote  the  banners  to  which  their  pro- 
prietors respectively  belong.  But  time  has  changed 
the  stern  rules  under  which  the  Chinese  were  confined 
to  their  own  quarter.  Their  superior  industry,  and 
their  slowly  but  surely  accumulating  wealth,  have 
gradually  made  them  masters  of  the  Tartar  warriors, 
and  of  their  allotments  within  the  sacred  city.  In  fact, 
Chinese  thrift  and  commercial  energy  have  conquered 
the  descendants  of  the  doughty  Manchus  who  drove 
'the  Mings  from  the  throne. 

It  can  hardly  be  credited  by  the  stranger  who  visits 
this  Chinese  centre  of  the  universe,  that  the  miserable 
beings  whom  he  sees  clad  in  sheep-skins  out  of  the 
Imperial  bounty,  and  acting  as  watchmen  to  the  pros- 
perous Chinese,  are  in  reality  the  remnants  of  those 
noble  nomads  who  were  at  one  time  a terror  to 
Western  Europe,  and  at  a later  date  the  conquerors  of 
the  ‘ Central  Flowery  Land.’ 


OUTSIDE  THE  WALLS. 


495 


The  old  walls  of  the  great  city  are  truly  wonderful 
monuments  of  human  industry.  Their  base  is  sixty 
feet  wide,  their  breadth  at  the  top  about  forty  feet,  and 
their  height  also  averages  forty  feet.  But  alas ! time 
and  the  modern  arts  of  warfare  have  rendered  them 
practically  nothing  more  than  interesting  relics  of  a 
bygone  age.  A wooden  stockade  would  now-a-days 
be  about  as  effective  a protection  to  the  Imperial  throne 
within.  They  seem  to  be  well  defended,  however. 
Casting  our  eyes  up  to  the  great  tower  above  the  gate- 
way, we  can  see  that  it  bristles  with  guns  ; yet  the 
little  field-glass  of  modern  science  reveals  to  us  after 
all  only  a mock  artillery,  painted  muzzles  on  painted 
boards,  threatening  sham  terrors  through  the  countless 
embrasures. 

A few  rusty  dismantled  cannon  lie  here  and  there 
beneath  the  gateway,  but  everything  looks  out  of  repair. 
The  moats  have  become  long  shallow  lagoons,  and 
yonder  a train  of  ioo  camels  is  wading  calmly  through 
one  into  the  city.  The  Government  probably  know  all 
this,  and  have  wisely  turned  their  attention  to  the 
defence  of  the  coast  line  and  frontiers ; in  the  hope 
perhaps  that  a foreign  foe  will  never  again  be  able  to 
flounder  over  the  broken  highways,  and  bring  warfare 
to  the  palace  door.  A vain  delusion  truly,  unless  China 
is  prepared  to  take  to  heart  the  sad  lessons  of  modern 
battle-fields,  and  to  keep  pace  with  the  ever- progressive 
science  that  is  at  work  in  our  European  arsenals. 
How  can  she  do  this  ? She  may  squander  wealth- 
distilled  out  of  the  blood,  sinews,  and  sweat  of  long- 
suffering  labour — upon  fleets  and  armaments ; but 
where  will  she  find  the  genius  to  use  her  weapons  to 
advantage  ? In  the  event  of  a collision  with  a foreign 


496  INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

Power,  what  good  end  would  the  hasty  purchase  of 
iron-clads  and  arms  secure  ? If — as  a distinguished 
Chinese  scholar  the  other  day  remarked — it  takes 
1,200  years  for  the  Chinese  to  introduce  successfully 
a new  tone  into  their  language,  how  long,  I would 
ask,  must  it  be  before  they  would  even  make  it  in  the 
first  place  thoroughly  understood,  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  Empire,  that  in  order  to  sustain  an 
efficient  army  the  soldiers  must  be  paid — paid  regularly, 
and  on  a scale  sufficient  to  prevent  their  becoming  a 
greater  terror  to  their  own  peaceful  countrymen  than 
they  would  ever  be  probably  to  their  foes.  As  for  the 
new  weapons  which  they  are  manufacturing  for  them- 
selves, we  will  hope  that  the  rulers  may  never  become 
so  utterly  blinded  as  to  place  these  in  the  hands  of  un- 
trained troops,  to  defend  the  ancient  policy  of  exclusive- 
ness so  fatal  to  progress  in  China. 

But  let  us  hasten  our  steps,  and  enter  the  gate  to 
behold  this  great  metropolis.  A mighty  crowd  is 
pressing  on  towards  the  dark  archway,  and  we  betake 
ourselves  again  to  our  carts,  feeling  sure  that  our  pass- 
ports will  be  examined  by  the  guards  on  duty  at  the 
portal.  But  after  all  we  pass  through  unnoticed  in  the 
wake  of  a train  of  camels  laden  with  fuel  from  the 
coal-mines  not  far  off.  There  is  a great  noise  and 
confusion.  Two  streams,  made  up  of  carts,  camels, 
mules,  donkeys,  and  citizens,  have  met  beneath  the 
arch,  and  are  struggling  out  of  the  darkness  at  either 
end.  Within,  there  is  a wide  thoroughfare,  by  far  the 
widest  I encountered  in  any  Chinese  city,  and  as  roomy 
as  the  great  roads  of  London.  All  the  main  streets  of 
Peking  can  boast  of  this  advantage ; but  the  cartway 
runs  down  the  centre  of  the  road,  and  is  only  broad 


ONE  OF  THE  INNER  GATES  OF  PEKING 


THE  CITY  OF  PEKING. 


497 


enough  to  allow  two  vehicles  to  pass  abreast.  The 
causeway  in  the  middle  is  kept  in  repair  by  material 
which  coolies  ladle  out  of  the  deep  trenches  or  mud- 
holes  to  be  seen  on  either  side  of  it.  Citizens  using 
this  part  of  the  highway  after  dark  are  occasionally 
drowned  in  these  sloughs.  Thus  one  old  woman  met 
her  end  in  this  way  when  I was  in  Peking,  so  that  I 
never  felt  altogether  safe  when  riding  through  the 
streets  at  night ; while  in  the  morning,  when  the 
dutiful  servants  of  the  Board  of  Works  were  flourishing 
their  ladles,  one  had  to  face  the  insalubrious  odours  of 
the  putrid  mud  ; and  at  mid-day  again,  more  especially 
if  the  weather  was  dry,  the  dust  was  so  thick  that  when 
I washed  my  beard  I could  have  supplied  a valuable 
contribution  towards  the  repairs  of  the  road. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  if  there  are  no  dust-clouds 
to  obstruct  the  sight,  the  Peking  streets  are  highly 
picturesque  and  interesting.  Along  each  side  of  the 
central  highway  an  interminable  line  of  booths  and 
stalls  has  been  set  up,  and  there  almost  everything 
under  the  Chinese  sun  is  to  be  obtained.  Then  out- 
side these  stalls,  again,  there  are  the  footpaths,  and 
beyond  them  we  come  upon  the  shops,  which  form  the 
boundaries  of  the  actual  road.  It  is  a complicated 
picture,  and  I only  hope  that  the  reader  may  not  lose 
himself,  as  I have  done  more  than  once,  amid  the  maze 
of  streets. 

The  shops  had  a great  fascination  for  me.  In  both 
cities  they  are  almost  always  owned  by  Chinese,  for 
the  Tartars,  even  if  they  have  money,  are  too  proud 
to  trade  ; and  if  they  have  none,  as  is  most  frequently 
the  case,  they  possess  neither  the  energy  nor  the 
ingenuity  to  make  a start.  The  Chinese,  on  the  other 

36 


498 


JNDO- CHINA  and  china. 


hand,  will  many  of  them  trade  on  nothing ; and  some 
seem  capable  of  living  on  nothing  too,  until,  by 
patience  and  thrift,  if  they  have  ever  had  the  ghost  of 
a chance,  they  manage  to  attain  prosperity. 

The  shops  in  Peking,  both  outside  and  within 
doors,  are  very  attractive  objects.  Many  of  their 
fronts  are  elaborately  carved,  and  painted  and  gilded 
so  beautifully  that  they  look  as  if  they  ought  to  be  set 
under  glass  cases  ; while  as  for  the  interiors,  these  are 
fitted  up  and  finished  with  an  equally  scrupulous  care, 
the  owners  ready  for  business  inside,  clothed  in  their 
silks,  and  looking  a prosperous,  supremely-contented 
tribe.  I could  discover  evidences  of  a liberal  distribu- 
tion of  the  wealth  of  the  official  classes  in  all  those 
shops  which  in  any  way  supplied  their  wants,  or 
ministered  to  their  expensive  and  luxurious  tastes. 

On  the  other  hand,  fearful  signs  of  squalor  and 
misery  were  apparent  everywhere  in  the  unwelcome 
and  uncared-for  poor  : all  the  more  apparent,  perhaps, 
when  brought  face  to  face  with  the  tokens  of  wealth 
and  refinement. 

I have  not  space  to  relate  a tenth  of  what  I beheld 
or  experienced  in  this  great  capital  : how  its  naked 
beggars  were  found  in  the  winter  mornings  dead  at  its 
gates ; how  a cart  might  be  met  going  its  rounds  to 
pick  up  the  bodies  of  infants  too  young  to  require  the 
sacred  rites  of  sepulture ; how  the  destitute  were  to  be 
seen  crowding  into  a sort  of  casual  ward  already  full, 
and  craving  permission  to  stand  inside  its  walls,  so  as 
to  obtain  shelter  from  the  wintry  blast  that  would 
freeze  their  hearts  before  the  dawn.  There  are  acres 
of  hovels  at  Peking  in  which  the  Imperial  bannermen 
herd,  and  filth  seems  to  be  deposited  like  tribute  before 


METROPOLITAN  ROADS. 


499 


the  very  palace  gates  ; indeed,  there  is  hardly  a spot 
in  the  capital  that  does  not  make  one  long  for  a single 
glimpse  of  that  Chinese  paradise  we  had  pictured  to 
ourselves  in  our  youth  ; for  the  bright  sky,  the  tea- 
fields,  orange -groves,  and  hedges  of  jasmine,  and  for 
the  lotus-lakes  filling  the  air  with  their  perfume.  Once 
or  twice  in  China  1 had  almost  realised  this  dream  ; 
but  the  perfection  of  the  scene  was  always  marred  by 
something  defective  about  the  people  themselves,  or 
their  habits. 

Next  to  the  shops,  the  footpaths  in  front  of  them 
are  perhaps  most  curious  to  a foreigner.  In  these 
paths,  after  a shower  of  rain,  many  pools  occur — pools 
which  it  is  impossible  to  cross  except  by  wading,  unless 
one  cares  to  imitate  an  old  Pekingese  lady,  who 
carried  two  bricks  with  her  wherever  she  went,  to 
pave  her  way  over  the  puddles.  But  watery  hollows 
are  not  the  only  obstacles  to  traffic.  As  in  the  Com- 
mercial Road  in  London  crowds  congregate  in  front  of 
the  tents  and  stalls  of  the  hawkers,  while  the  shop- 
keepers spread  out  their  wares  for  sale  so  as  to  mono- 
polise at  least  two-thirds  of  the  pavement,  so  also  in 
Peking,  in  yet  greater  numbers  and  variety,  the  buyers 
and  sellers  occupy  every  dry  spot.  Sometimes  one  can 
only  get  through  the  press  by  brushing  against  the  dry 
dusty  hides  of  a train  of  camels  as  they  are  being  un- 
laden before  a coal-shed  ; and  one  must  take  care, 
should  any  of  them  be  lying  down,  not  to  tread  on  their 
huge  soft  feet,  for  they  can  inflict  a savage  bite.  In 
another  spot  it  may  become  necessary  to  wait  until 
some  skittish  mule,  tethered  in  front  of  a shop,  has 
been  removed  by  its  leisurely  master,  who  is  smoking 
a pipe  with  the  shopman  inside  Once,  as  I threaded 


500 


1ND0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


my  way  along,  I had  to  climb  a pile  of  wooden  planks 
to  reach  the  path  beyond,  and  finding  that  a clear  view 
could  be  obtained  from  the  top,  of  a fine  shop  on  the 
other  side  of  the  road,  I had  my  camera  set  up  and 
proceeded  to  take  a photograph.  But  in  two  or  three 
minutes,  before  the  picture  could  be  secured,  there  was 
a sudden  transformation  of  the  scene.  Every  available 
spot  of  ground  was  taken  up  by  eager  but  good- 
natured  spectators  ; traffic  was  suspended  : and  just  as 
I was  about  to  expose  the  plate  some  ingenious  youth 
displaced  the  plank  on  which  I stood,  and  brought  me 
down  in  a rapid,  undignified  descent,  immensely  enter- 
taining to  the  crowd. 

Some  of  the  booths  close  to  the  foot-way  are  built 
of  mud  or  brick,  and  would  indeed  become  permanent 
structures  but  that  their  occupants  may  be  ordered  at 
any  moment  to  clear  them  away,  so  as  to  make 
room  for  the  progress  of  the  Emperor.  For  I must 
tell  you  that  whenever  the  Sovereign  is  carried  abroad, 
outside  his  own  palace  walls,  the  roads  must  be  cleared, 
and  even  cleaned,  that  his  sacred  eyes  may  not  be 
offended  with  a glimpse  at  the  true  condition  of  his 
splendid  capital.  After  he  has  passed  by,  booths,  tents, 
and  stalls  are  re-erected,  and  commerce  and  confusion 
resume  their  sway.  As  matters  stand,  these  road-side 
obstructions  are  really  a great  boon  to  the  people. 
Anything  can  be  bought  at  the  stalls,  and  their  owners 
are  neither  slow  nor  silent  in  advertising  the  fact.  At 
one  a butcher  and  a baker  combine  their  crafts.  The 
former  sells  his  mutton  cut  to  suit  the  taste  of  his 
customers,  while  at  the  same  time  he  disposes  of  all  the 
bones  and  refuse  to  the  cook,  who  manufactures  savoury 
pies  before  a hungry  crowd  of  lookers-on.  Twirling 


NATIVE  STALLS. 


5°» 

his  rolling-pin  on  his  board,  he  shrieks  out  in  a shrill 
key  a list  of  the  delicacies  he  has  prepared,  while  a 
chorus  of  dogs  around  respond  in  unfeignedly  sym- 
pathetic howls. 

Jewels,  too,  of  no  mean  value,  are  on  sale  here  as 
well,  and  there  are  peep-shows,  jugglers,  lottery-men, 
ballad-singers,  and  story-tellers  ; the  latter  accompany- 
ing their  recitations  with  the  strummings  of  a lute, 
while  their  audience  sits  round  a long  table  and  listens 
with  rapt  attention  to  the  dramatic  renderings  of  their 
poets.  The  story-teller,  however,  has  many  com- 
petitors to  contend  against,  and  of  all  his  rivals  the 
old-clothes-men  are  perhaps  the  most  formidable  tribe. 
These  old-clothes-men  enjoy  a wide  celebrity  for  their 
humorous  stories,  and  will  run  off  with  a rhyme  to 
suit  the  garments  as  they  offer  them  to  the  highest 
bidder.  Each  coat  is  thus  invested  with  a miraculous 
history,  which  gives  it  at  once  a priceless  value.  If  it 
be  fur,  its  heat-producing  powers  are  eloquently  de- 
scribed. ‘ It  was  this  fur  which,  during  the  year  of  the 
great  frost,  saved  the  head  of  that  illustrious  family 
Chang.  The  cold  was  so  intense  that  the  people  were 
mute.  When  they  spoke  their  words  froze,  and  hung 
from  their  lips.  Men’s  ears  congealed,  and  were  devoid 
of  feeling,  so  that  when  they  shook  their  heads  they 
fell  off.  Men  froze  to  the  street  and  died  by  thousands  : 
but  as  for  Chang  of  honoured  memory,  he  put  on  this 
coat,  and  it  brought  summer  to  his  blood.  How  much 
say  you  for  it  ? ’ &c.  The  foregoing  is  a rendering  of 
the  language  actually  used  by  one  of  these  sellers  of 
unredeemed  pledges. 

I saw  two  or  three  men  who  were  driving  a trade 
in  magic  pictures  and  foreign  stereoscopic  photographs, 


5°2 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


some  in  not  the  most  refined  style  of  art  : and  as  for 
the  peep-shoWs,  well,  the  less  one  says  about  them  the 
better ; they  certainly  would  not  be  tolerated  in  any 
public  thoroughfare  in  Europe.  The  original  Punch 
and  Judy  also,  is  to  be  encountered  in  the  Peking 
streets  ; puppets  worked  by  the  hands  of  a hidden 
operator,  on  just  the  same  plan  as  with  us.  At  night, 
too,  I have  frequently  seen  a most  ingenious  shadow 
pantomime  contrived  by  projecting  small  moveable 
figures  on  to  a thin  screen,  under  a brilliant  light  from 
behind. 

Capital  clay  images  may  be  purchased  at  some  of 
the  stalls  ; but  in  no  part  of  China  has  this  art  of 
making  coloured  clay  figures  reached  such  perfection 
as  at  Tientsin. 

At  that  place  tiny  figures  are  sold  for  a mere  song 
which  are  by  far  the  cleverest  things  of  the  kind  I ever 
saw.  These  are  not  only  most  perfect  representations 
of  Chinese  men  and  women,  but  many  of  them  hit  off 
humorous  characteristics  with  the  most  wonderfully 
artistic  fidelity. 

If  I go  rambling  on  in  this  way  over  the  city,  we 
shall  never  reach  the  hotel,  nor  receive  that  welcome 
which  was  so  warmly  accorded  to  me  by  Monsieur 
Thomas,  the  proprietor.  Thomas  was  not  the  cleanest 
man  in  the  world,  but  he  was  extremely  polite,  which 
was  something.  There  was,  however,  about  his  cos- 
tume a painful  lack  of  buttons,  and  its  appearance  might 
perhaps  have  been  improved  by  the  addition  of  a waist- 
coat, and  by  the  absence  of  the  grease  that  seemed  to 
have  been  struggling  up  to  reach  his  hair,  but  had 
not  arrived  at  its  destination.  His  hands,  and  even 
his  face,  in  prospect  of  our  coming,  had  been  hastily 


THE  HOTEL. 


5°3 


though  imperfectly  washed.  But  then  he  was  a cook,  a 
good  cook,  too ; and  he  remarked,  when  I flattered  him 
on  this  head,  that  there  was  nothing  like  a little  can-dc- 
vic  to  enable  an  artist  to  put  the  finishing  touches  on  a 
chcf-d' oeuvre  either  of  cookery  or  painting.  Had  he 
confessed  to  a great  deal  of  that  stimulant,  he  would 
have  been  much  nearer  the  truth. 

My  bedroom  was  not  a comfortable  one.  How 
could  it  be  ? — it  was  chiefly  built  of  mud.  The 
mud  floor,  indeed,  was  matted  over,  but  the  white- 
washed walls  felt  sticky,  and  so  did  the  bed* and  cur- 
tains ; a close,  nasty  smell,  too,  pervaded  the  whole 
apartment,  ail'd  on  looking  into  a closet  I discovered  a 
quantity  of  mouldy,  foreign  apparel.  This,  as  I found 
out  next  morning,  had  been  left  there  as  plague-stricken 
by  a gentleman  who,  some  days  previously,  had  nearly 
died  of  small-pox  in  this  very  room.  Fortunately,  I 
escaped  an  attack  of  the  malady. 

I paid  a visit  to  the  Corean  Legation  in  the  Tartar 
quarter  of  the  city.  It  is  customary  for  the  King  of 
Corea  to  send  an  annual  embassy  of  tribute-bearers  to 
Peking.  The  first  detachment  of  the  embassy  had  just 
arrived  before  I quitted  the  capital.  There  were  but 
a few  members  present  at  the  Legation  at  the  time  of 
my  visit,  and  the  apartments  in  which  they  dwelt  were  so 
scrupulously  clean  that  I almost  wished  that  I had  left 
my  dirty  shoes  at  the  doorway,  in  my  fear  of  soiling  the 
white  straw  mats.  I was  also  most  favourably  im- 
pressed with  the  spotless  purity  of  their  garments, 
which  were  almost  entirely  of  white.  It  was  with 
great  difficulty,  however,  that  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration was  secured,  but  it  was  on  that  account  all 
the  more  prized,  as  it  is  about  all  I can  offer  the 


5°4 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA 


reader  in  connection  with  this  isolated  and  interesting 
race. 

After  my  return  from  the  Ming  tombs,  H.  B.  M.’s 
Minister  kindly  invited  me  to  stay  at  the  Legation  ; but 
I had  promised  Thomas  to  remain  in  his  house,  and 


COREAN. 

although  unfortunate  in  some  respects,  he  proved 
thoroughly  honest,  and  did  his  best  to  make  me 
comfortable. 

I bought  a Mongolian  pony,  to  save  me  time  in 
exploring  the  city,  and  a saddle  and  bridle  were  kindly 


first  night  it  consumed  its  bed,  and  when  I examined 
it  in  the  morning  it  seemed  to  be  hungry  still  ; for  it 
had  barked  the  tree  to  which  it  was  tethered,  and  had 
besides  this  devoured  about  five  shillings’  worth  of 
millet-bran,  and  so  forth.  I soon  found  out  that  I was 
being  fleeced  by  the  stable-boy,  who  had  a pony  of 


HORSE-SHOEING.  5 o 5 

lent  to  me  by  a friend ; but  the  brute  was  a large- 
boned, large-headed  animal,  with  a great  round  belly, 
over  which,  for  want  of  a crupper,  the  saddle-girths 
were  always  sliding.  It  had,  too,  an  enormous  appetite, 
at  least,  so  said  the  groom  whom  I employed.  The 


CHINESE  HORSE-SHOEING,  PEKING. 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


506 

his  own  in  the  next  house,  and  had  determined  to  feed 
it  at  my  expense. 

The  Pekingese  have  a strange  mode  of  shoeing  their 
horses.  They  pull  three  feet  together  with  cords,  and 
leave  the  hoof  that  is  to  be  shod  free.  Then  they 
sling  the  animal  bodily  up  between  two  posts,  after  the 
manner  shown  in  the  engraving. 

In  the  plan  of  the  city  of  Peking  there  is  every 
evidence  of  careful  design,  and  this  has  been  carried 
out  minutely,  from  the  central  buildings  of  the  palace 
to  the  outermost  wall  of  fortification.  The  ground-plan 
of  the  Imperial  buildings  is  in  most  respects  identical 
with  the  ground-plans  of  the  great  temples  and  tombs 
of  the  country.  So  much  alike  are  they,  even  in  the 
style  and  arrangement  of  their  edifices,  that  a palace, 
with  scarcely  any  alteration,  might  be  at  once  converted 
into  a Buddhist  temple.  Thus  we  find  that  the  Great 
Yung-ho-Kung  Lamasary  of  the  Mongols,  in  the  north- 
east quarter  of  the  city,  was  at  one  time  the  residence 
of  the  son  and  successor  of  Kang-hi.  The  chiefs  halls 
of  the  Imperial  palace — if  we  may  judge  from  the 
glimpse  one  gets  of  their  lofty  roofs  when  one  stands 
on  the  city  wall — are  three  in  number,  extending  from 
the  Chien-men  to  Prospect  Hill,  and  in  every  instance 
are  approached  by  a triple  gateway.  The  like  order 
prevails  at  the  Ming  tombs.  There  one  finds  an  equal 
number  of  halls,  with  a triple  doorway  in  front  of  each  ; 
while  the  temple  and  domestic  architecture  throughout 
the  north  of  China  is  based  upon  the  same  plan.  In 
the  latter  case  there  are  three  courts,  divided  from  each 
other  by  halls,  the  apartments  of  the  domestics  being 
ranged  about  the  outer  courts,  while  the  innermost  of 
the  three  is  devoted  to  family  use. 


THE  TEMPLE  OF  HE  A VEN. 


S°7 


It  is  interesting  to  observe  the  evidences  which 
crop  up  everywhere,  showing  the  universal  sacredness 
of  the  numbers  three  and  nine.  Thus  at  Peking,  the 
gates  with  which  the  outer  wall  of  the  Tartar  city  is 
pierced  form  together  a multiple  of  three,  and  the 
sacred  person  of  the  Emperor  can  only  be  approached, 
even  by  his  highest  officers,  after  three  times  three 
prostrations.  The  Temple  of  Heaven,  too,  in  the 
Chinese  city,  with  its  triple  roof,  the  triple  terraces  of 
its  marble  altars,  and  the  rest  of  its  mystic  symbolism 
throughout,  points  either  to  three  or  to  its  multiples. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Eclkins  was,  I believe,  the  first 
to  draw  attention  to  the  symbolical  architecture  of  the 
Temple  of  Heaven,  and  to  the  importance  which  the 
Chinese  themselves  attach  to  the  southern  open  altar 
as  the  most  sacred  of  all  Chinese  religious  structures. 
There,  at  the  winter  solstice,  the  Emperor  himself 
makes  burnt  offerings,  just  as  the  patriarchs  did  of  old, 
to  the  supreme  Lord  of  Heaven.  In  the  city  of  Foo- 
chow, on  the  southern  side  of  the  walled  enclosure, 
are  two  hills,  one  known  as  Wu-shih-shan,  and  the 
other  as  Kui-shen-shan,  or  “the  Hill  of  the  Nine  Genii.’ 
On  the  top  of  the  former  there  is  an  open  altar — a 
simple  erection  of  rude  unhewn  stone,  approached  first 
by  a flight  of  eighteen  steps,  and  finally  by  three  steps, 
cut  into  the  face  of  the  rock.  This  altar  is  reputed  to 
be  very  ancient,  and  to  it  the  Governor-General  of  the 
province  repairs  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  as  the 
representative  of  the  Emperor,  and  there  offers  up 
burnt  sacrifices  to  heaven.  In  this  granite  table, 
covered  with  a simple  square  stone  vessel  filled  with 
ashes,  we  have  the  sacrificial  altar  in  what  is  probably 
its  most  ancient  Chinese  form.  The  southern  altar  at 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


5°S 

Peking  bears  a wonderful  resemblance  to  Mount  Meru, 
the  centre  of  the  Buddhist  universe,  round  which  all 
the  heavenly  bodies  are  supposed  to  move  ; and  there 
we  find  the  tablets  of  sun,  moon,  and  stars  arranged 
around  the  second  terrace  of  the  altar,  according  to  the 
Chinese  system  of  astronomy. 

The  city  of  Peking,  or  rather  the  Tartar  portion  of 
it,  is  laid  out  with  an  almost  perfect  symmetry.  The 
sacred  purple  city  stands  nearly  in  the  centre,  and  there 
are  three  main  streets,  which  run  from  north  to  south. 
One  of  these  streets  leads  direct  to  the  palace  gates, 
and  the  other  two  are  nearly  equi-distant  from  it  on 
either  side ; while  myriads  of  minor  thoroughfares  and 
lanes  intersect  one  another  in  the  spaces  between,  but 
are  always  either  parallel  with  or  at  right  angles  to  the 
three  main  roads.  Viewed  from  any  stand-point  on 
the  outer  wall,  the  whole  scene  is  disappointing.  With 
the  exception  of  the  palace  buildings,  the  Buddhist 
shrines,  the  Temple  of  Heaven,  the  Roman  Catholic 
cathedral,  and  the  official  yamens,  the  houses  never 
rise  above  the  low  modest  uniform  level  prescribed  for 
them  by  law.  Much,  too,  that  is  ruinous  and  dilapi- 
dated presents  itself  to  the  gaze.  Here  and  there  we 
see  open  spaces,  and  green  trees  that  shade  the  build- 
ings of  the  rich  ; but  again  the  eye  wearies  of  its  wan- 
derings over  hundreds  of  acres  of  tiles  and  walls,  all 
of  one  stereotyped  pattern,  and  cannot  help  noticing 
that  the  isolation  of  the  Chinese  begins  with  the  family 
unit  at  home.  There  stands  the  sacred  dwelling  of 
the  mighty  Emperor,  walled  round  and  round  ; his 
person  protected  from  the  gaze  of  the  outer  world  by 
countless  courts  and  ‘ halls  of  sacred  harmony ; ’ and 
one  can  note  the  same  exclusiveness  carried  out  in  all 


PRINCE  RUNG. 


5°9 


the  dwellings  of  his  people.  Each  residence  is  enclosed 
in  a wall  of  its  own,  and  a single  outer  entrance  gives 
access  to  courts  and  reception-rooms,  beyond  which 
the  most  favoured  guest  may  not  intrude  to  violate  by 
his  mere  presence  the  sanctity  of  the  domicile.  I here 
are,  of  course,  tens  of  thousands  of  houses  and  hovels 
where  this  arrangement  cannot  be  observed  ; but  where 
the  people,  nevertheless,  manage  to  sustain  a sort  of 
dignified  isolation  by  investing  themselves  with  an  air 
of  self-importance,  which  the  very  street  beggars  never 
wholly  lay  aside.  These,  if  they  be  Manchus,  are 
proud  at  any  rate  of  their  sheepskin  coats  ; or  if  they 
be  not,  then  the  more  fugitive  covering  of  mud,  which 
is  all  that  hides  their  nakedness,  is  still  carried  with  a 
sort  of  stolid  solemnity  which  would  be  ludicrous  were 
it  not  for  their  misfortunes. 

I had  the  good  fortune  while  in  the  metropolis  to  be 
introduced  to  Prince  Kung  and  the  other  distinguished 
members  of  the  Chinese  Government ; and  they  wisely 
availed  themselves  of  my  presence  to  have  their  por- 
traits taken  at  the  Tsungli-yamen,  or  Chinese  Foreign 
Office.  Prince  Kung,  as  most  of  my  readers  are  aware, 
is  a younger  brother  of  the  late  Emperor  Hien-fung, 
and  consequently  uncle  to  the  reigning  monarch  Tung- 
che.  He  holds  several  high  appointments,  military  as 
well  as  civil,  and  in  particular  he  is  a member  of  the 
Supreme  Council — a department  of  the  State  which 
most  nearly  resembles  the  Cabinet  in  our  own  constitu- 
tion. He  is,  too,  a man  esteemed  by  all  who  know 
him,  quick  in  apprehension,  comparatively  liberal  in 
his  views,  and  regarded  by  some  as  the  head  of  that 
small  party  of  politicians  who  favour  progress  in 
China. 


510  IND  0-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

The  creation  of  the  Tsungli-yamen,  or  Foreign 
Board,  was  one  of  the  important  results  which  followed 
the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  of  Tientsin.  Up  to  that 
time  all  foreign  diplomatic  correspondence  had  been 
carried  on  through  the  Colonial  Office,  where  the  great 
Powers  were  practically  placed  on  a level  with  the 
Central  Asian  dependencies  of  the  Empire.  This 
yamen  stands  next  to  the  Imperial  College,  where  a 
staff  of  foreign  professors  is  now  employed  in  instruct- 
ing Chinese  students  in  European  languages,  literature, 
and  science.  Accompanied  by  one  of  these  professors, 
who  kindly  undertook  to  be  my  interpreter,  I found 
myself  one  morning  entering  a low  narrow  doorway 
through  a dead  wall.  After  making  our  way  along  a 
number  of  courts,  studded  with  rockeries,  flowers,  and 
ponds  ; and  after  passing  down  dingy  corridors  in  dismal 
disrepair,  we  at  length  stood  beneath  the  shade  of  an 
old  tree,  and  in  front  of  the  picturesque,  but  purely  Chi- 
nese-looking,  audience-chamber,  wherein  the  interests 
of  vast  numbers  of  the  human  race  are  from  time  to 
time  discussed.  We  had  barely  time  to  glance  at  the 
painted  pillars,  the  curved  roofs,  and  carved  windows, 
when  a venerable  noble  issued  from  behind  a bamboo 
screen  that  concealed  a narrow  doorway,  and  accorded 
us  a quiet  courteous  welcome. 

The  Prince  himself  had  not  arrived  ; but  Wen-siang, 
Paou-keun,  and  Shen-kwe-fen,  members  all  of  them  of 
the  Grand  Council,  were  already  in  attendance.  Wen- 
siang  is  well  known  in  diplomatic  circles  as  a statesman 
endowed  with  intellectual  powers  of  the  highest  order, 
and  as  one  of  the  foremost  ministers  of  his  age.  It  is 
said  of  him,  that  in  reply  to  the  urgent  representations 
of  a foreigner  who  was  clamouring  for  Chinese  progress, 


THE  TSUiVGLI-  YAMEN 


51 1 


hr  delivered  himself  of  the  following  prophecy,  which 
has  not  yet,  however,  been  fulfilled  : — ‘ Give  China 
time,  and  her  progress  will  be  both  rapid  and  over- 
whelming in  its  results  ; so  much  so,  that  those  who 
were  foremost  with  the  plea  for  progress  will  be  sighing 
for  the  good  old  times.’  This  transformation  may  be 
looming  in  the  far-off  distance,  like  some  unknown 
star  whose  light  is  travelling  through  the  immeasurable 
regions  of  space,  but  has  not  yet  reached  our  own 
sphere.  China  has  had  her  ages  of  flint  and  bronze  ; 
and  her  vast  mineral  resources  tell  us  that  she  is  yet 
destined  to  enter  upon  all  that  is  implied  in  an  age  of 
coal  and  iron. 

Wen-siang  and  Paou-keun  are  Manchus,  while 
Shen-kwe-fen  is  one  of  the  Chinese  members  of  the 
Grand  Council  of  State. 

Cheng-lin,  Tung  sean,  and  Maou-cheng-he,  ministers 
of  the  Foreign  Board,  were  also  present.  Tung-sean 
is  the  author  of  many  valuable  works.  One  of  these, 
on  the  hydrography  of  northern  China,  was  in  the 
press  at  the  time  of  my  visit ; and,  as  the  reader  will 
have  gathered  from  my  account  of  the  inundations,  his 
treatise  is  likely  to  be  of  great  value,  provided  that 
its  suggestions  for  draining  the  country  and  restoring 
the  broken  embankments  can,  or  rather  will,  be 
carried  out.  The  ministers  wore  simple  robes  of 
variously-coloured  satin,  open  in  front  and  caught  in 
by  a band  at  the  waist ; collars  of  pale  blue  silk  taper- 
ing down  from  the  neck  to  the  shoulders,  and  thick- 
soled  black  satin  boots.  This  costume  was  extremely 
picturesque,  and,  what  is  of  far  greater  importance,  the 
ministers,  most  of  them,  were  as  fine- looking  men  as 
ever  our  own  Cabinet  can  boast.  All  of  them  had  that 


512 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


air  of  quiet  dignified  repose  which  only  comes  of  con- 
stant intercourse  with  highly-cultured  minds. 

The  arrival  of  Prince  Kung  on  the  scene  cut  short 
our  general  conversation.  The  Prince  for  a few 
minutes  kept  me  in  a pleasant  talk,  enquiring  about  my 
travels  and  about  photography,  and  manifesting  consider- 
able interest  in  the  process  of  taking  a likeness.  He 
is  a man  of  middle  stature,  and  of  a rather  slender 
frame ; his  appearance,  indeed,  did  not  impress  me  so 
favourably  as  did  that  of  the  other  members  of  the 
Cabinet ; yet  he  had  what  phrenologists  would  describe 
as  a splendid  head.  His  eyes  were  penetrating,  and  his 
face  when  in  repose  wore  an  expression  of  sullen  reso- 
lution. As  I looked  upon  him  I wondered  whether  he 
felt  the  fearful  burden  of  the  responsibility  which  he 
shared  with  the  ministers  around  in  guiding  the  destinies 
of  so  many  millions  of  the  human  race ; or  whether  he 
and  his  distinguished  colleagues  were  able  to  look  with 
complacency  upon  the  present  state  of  the  Empire  and 
its  people. 

These  men  have  had  many  and  great  difficulties 
to  contend  against  in  their  time.  Foreign  war,  civil 
insurrection,  famine,  floods,  and  the  rapacity  of  their 
officials  in  different  quarters  of  the  land,  have  done 
much  to  weaken  the  prestige  and  power  of  the  great 
central  Government ; and  her  authority  now  can  never 
be  properly  felt  and  acknowledged  in  the  more  distant 
portions  of  China,  until  each  remotest  province  of  that 
vast  kingdom  shall  have  been  united  to  Peking  by  the 
iron  grasp  of  railways  and  by  a network  of  telegraphic 
nerves. 

Perhaps  the  most  grave  and  distinguished-looking 
member  of  the  group  now  before  me  was  Maou  cheng- 


THE  CHONG- UN  DEGREE . 


5J3 


he.  This  man’s  scholarly  attainments  had  won  him 
the  highest  post  of  literary  fame,  and  formerly  he  had 
been  chief  judge  of  the  metropolitan  literary  examina- 
tions. 

Extraordinary  is  the  honour  which  the  Chinese 
attach  to  literary  championship,  and  to  the  achieve- 
ment of  the  Chong-un  or  Han-lin  degree  which  is  con- 
ferred by  the  Peking  examiners.  At  the  triennial  exa- 
mination of  1871  a man  from  Shun-kak  district,  in  the 
Kwang-tung  province,  carried  off  the  Chong-un.  His 
family  name  was  Leung.  Now  this  literary  distinction 
had  been  obtained  by  a Kwang-tung  scholar  some  half- 
a-century  before,  and  he  was  the  first  who  achieved 
that  success  during  a period  of  200  years.  Thus  the 
new  victory  of  their  own  candidate  was  hailed  by  the 
men  of  Kwang-tung  as  a great  historical  event.  It 
was  reported,  however,  that  Mr.  Leung  had  after  all 
obtained  the  honour  by  a lucky  ‘ fluke.’  As  one  of  a 
triad  of  chosen  scholars  of  the  Empire,  he  produced  the 
composition  which  was  to  decide  his  claims.  There 
were  nine  essays  in  all,  and  these,  when  they  had  been 
submitted  to  the  Han-lin  examiners,  were  sent  by  them 
to  the  Empress  Dowager  (the  Emperor  being  under 
age)  to  have  their  own  award  formally  confirmed.  The 
work  of  greatest  merit  was  placed  uppermost ; but  the 
old  lady,  who  had  an  imperial ' will  of  her  own,  felt 
anxious  to  thwart  the  decision  of  the  learned  pundits : 
and,  as  chance  would  have  it,  the  sunlight  fell  upon  the 
chosen  manuscript,  and  she  discovered  a flaw,  a thin- 
ness in  the  paper,  indicating  a place  in  the  composi- 
tion where  one  character  had  been  erased  and  another 
substituted.  The  Empress  rated  the  examiners  for 

37 


IND0-CH1NA  AND  CHINA. 


5*4 

allowing  such  slovenly  work  to  pass,  and  proclaimed 
Leung  the  victor. 

The  superstitious  Cantonese  declared  that  it  was  a 
divine  choice,  that  the  sunbeam  was  a messenger  sent 
by  Heaven  to  point  out  the  blemish  in  the  essay  at  first 
selected  for  the  prize. 

Mr.  Leung  reached  Canton  in  May  1872,  and  was 
received  there  by  the  local  authorities  with  the  highest 
possible  honours.  All  the  families  who  bore  the  name 
of  Leung  (and  who  also  had  means  to  afford  it)  paid 
the  Chong-tin  enormous  sums  of  money  to  be  permitted 
to  come  and  worship  at  his  ancestral  hall.  By  this 
means  they  established  a spurious  claim  to  relation- 
ship, and  as  soon  as  the  ceremony  was  over  were 
allowed  to  place  tablets  above  the  entrances  of  their 
own  halls  inscribed  with  the  title  Chong-iin. 

An  uncle  of  the  successful  senior  wrangler,  uniting 
an  exalted  sense  of  his  duty  to  his  family  with  a 
laudable  desire  to  repair  his  own  fortune,  forestalled  the 
happy  Chong-iin,  and  acted  as  his  deputy  before  his 
arrival,  in  visiting  sundry  halls.  For  such  honourable 
service  this  obliging  relative  at  times  received  a thou- 
sand dollars,  and  his  nephew,  for  the  sake  of  the  family 
name,  had  to  sanction  the  steps  thus  prematurely  adopted 
to  spread  his  fame  abroad. 

To  show  the  great  esteem  in  which  such  a man  is 
held  by  the  Chinese,  I may  add  that  a brother  of  Mr. 
Leung  rented  a house  in  Canton,  and  its  owner  hearing 
that  he  was  the  brother  of  the  famous  Chong-iin  made 
him  a free  gift  of  the  tenement. 

After  partaking  of  tea  with  one  or  two  of  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  and  after  some  general  talk 


THE  CONFUCIAN  TEMPLE. 


5*5 


on  topics  of  common  interest,  we  rose  and  quitted  the 
yamen. 

I must  leave  many  of  the  temples  and  other  objects, 
of  interest  in  Peking  undescribed,  as  my  aim  at  present 
is  rather  to  convey  a general  impression  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  country  and  of  its  people,  as  we  find  them 
now-a-days,  than  to  enter  into  minute  details.  I can 
therefore  only  cast  a passing  glance  at  a few  places  of 
public  importance.  The  Confucian  temple  covers  a 
wide  area,  and  like  all  palaces,  shrines,  and  even  houses, 
is  completely  walled  around.  The  main  gateway  which 
leads  into  the  sacred  enclosure  is  presented  in  the  ac- 
companying picture.  This  gateway  is  approached,  as 
were  the  ancient  shrines  of  Greece  and  Rome,  through 
an  avenue  of  venerable  cypress  trees ; and  the  whole 
establishment  forms  perhaps  the  most  imposing  speci- 
men of  purely  Chinese  architecture  to  be  found  among 
the  ornaments  of  the  capital.  The  triple  approach,  and 
the  balustrading,  are  of  sculptured  marble  ; while  the 
pillars  and  other  portions  of  the  gateway  are  of  more 
perishable  materials — wood,  glazed  earthenware,  and 
brick.  On  either  side  are  groves  of  marble  tablets, 
bearing  the  names  of  the  successful  Hanlin  scholars  for 
many  centuries  back  ; and  that  one  to  the  left,  supported 
upon  the  back  of  a tortoise,  was  set  up  here  when 
Marco  Polo  was  in  China. 

Within  this  gate  stand  the  celebrated  stone  drums, 
inscribed  with  stanzas  cut  nearly  2,000  years  ago  in  the 
most  primitive  form  of  Chinese  writing.  Thus  these 
drums  prove  the  antiquity  at  once  of  the  poetry  and  of 
the  character  in  which  that  has  been  engraved.  These 
inscriptions  have  been  translated  by  Dr.  S.  W.  Bushell, 
the  gentleman  who  has  also  recently  discovered  the 


INDO  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


5i6 

site  of  the  famous  city  of  Shang-tu,  referred  to  by 
Coleridge  as  Xanadu,  and  spoken  of  by  Marco  Polo 
as  the  northern  capital  of  the  Yuen  dynasty.  The 
great  hall  within  simply  contains  the  tablet  of  China’s 
chief  sage  and  those  of  twenty-two  of  his  most  distin- 
guished followers. 

The  spirits  of  the  departed  great  are  supposed  to 


PEKING  OBSERVATORY.  JESUIT  INSTRUMENTS. 


reside  in  their  tablets,  and  hence  annually,  at  the  vernal 
and  autumnal  equinoxes,  sheep  and  oxen  fall  in  sacrifice 
in  front  of  this  honoured  shrine  of  literature. 

Close  to  the  Confucian  temple  stands  the  Kwo-tze- 
keen,  or  National  University  ; and  there,  ranged  around 


GREAT  GATEWAY,  TEMPLE  OF  CONFUCIUS 


THE  OBSERVATORY. 


5*7 


the  Pi-yung-kung,  or  Hall  of  the  Classics,  are  200 
tablets  of  stone,  inscribed  with  the  complete  text  of  the 
nine  sacred  books’ 

The  Observatory  has  been  set  up  on  the  wall  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Tartar  city.  Here,  in  addition 
to  the  colossal  astronomical  instruments  erected  by  the 
Jesuit  missionaries  in  the  seventeeth  century,  we  find 
two  other  instruments  in  a court  below,  which  the 
Chinese  made  for  themselves  towards  the  close  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  when  the  Yuen  dynasty  was  on  the 
throne.  Possibly  some  elements  of  European  science 
may  have  been  brought  to  bear  on  the  construction  of 
even  these  instruments  ; although  the  characters  and 
divisions  engraved  on  their  splendid  bronze  circles 
point  only  to  the  Chinese  method  of  dividing  the  year, 
and  to  the  state  of  Chinese  astronomy  at  the  time. 
Yet  Marco  Polo  must  have  been  in  the  north  of  China 
at  about  the  period  of  their  manufacture ; or,  at  any 
rate,  John  de  Carvino  was  there,  for  he,  under  Pope 
Clement  V.,  became  bishop  of  Cambalu  (Peking)  about 
1290  a.d.,  and  perhaps,  with  his  numerous  staff  of 
priests,  he  introduced  some  knowledge  of  Western  art. 
Mr.  Wylie  (than  whom  there  is  probably  no  better 
authority)  was  with  me  when  I examined  these  instru- 
ments, and  is  of  opinion  that  they  are  Chinese,  and 
that  they  were  produced  by  Ko  show-king,  one  of  the 
most  famous  astronomers  of  China.  One  of  them  is 
an  astrolaba,  furnished  beneath  with  a splendid  sun- 
dial, which  has  long  since  lost  its  gnomon.  The  whole, 
indeed,  consists  of  three  astrolabae,  one  partly  moveable 
and  partly  fixed  in  the  plane  of  the  ecliptic  ; the  second 
turning  on  a centre  as  a meridian  circle  ; and  the  third 
the  azimuth  circle. 


5 18  INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA . 

The  other  instrument  is  an  armillary  sphere,  sup- 
ported by  chained  dragons,  of  most  beautiful  workman- 
ship and  design.  This  instrument  is  a marvellous 
specimen  of  the  perfection  to  which  the  Chinese  must, 
even  then,  have  brought  the  art  of  casting  in  bronze. 

The  horizon  is  inscribed  with  the  twelve  cyclical 
characters,  into  which  the  Chinese  divide  the  day  and 
night.  Outside  the  ring  these  characters  appear  again, 


ANCIENT  CHINESE  ASTRONOMICAL  INSTRUMENT. 

paired  with  eight  characters  of  the  denary  cycle,  and 
four  names  of  the  eight  diagrams  of  the  book  of 
changes,  denoting  the  points  of  the  compass  ; while 
the  inside  of  the  riim  bears  the  names  of  the  twelve 

o 

States  into  which  China,  in  ancient  times,  was  portioned 
out.  An  equatorial  circle,  a double-ring  ecliptic,  an 
equinoctial  colure,  and  a double-ring  colure,  are  ad- 


MR.  YANG. 


5^9 


justed  with  the  horizon  ring.  The  equator  is  engraved 
with  constellations  of  unknown  antiquity ; while  the 
ecliptic  is  marked  off  into  twenty-four  equal  spaces, 
corresponding  to  the  divisions  of  the  year.  All  the 
circles  are  divided  into  365^  degrees,  for  the  days  of 
the  year;  while  each  degree  is  subdivided  into  100 
parts,  as  for  everything  less  than  a degree  the  centenary 
scale  prevailed  at  that  period.  I take  these  instru- 
ments to  be  of  great  interest,  as  indicating  the  state  of 
astronomical  science  in  China  at  about  the  end  of  the 
thirteenth  century. 

While  in  Peking  I made  the  acquaintance  of  many 
educated  and  intelligent  natives,  one  of  whom  accom- 
panied an  English  physician  and  myself  on  an  excursion 
to  the  ruins  of  the  Summer  Palace.  With  another 
gentleman,  Mr.  Yang,  I became  considerably  intimate ; 
and  in  this  way  enjoyed  some  opportunity  of  seeing 
the  dwellings  and  domestic  life  of  the  upper  classes  in 
the  capital.  Both  my  friends  were  devoted  to  photog- 
raphy ; but  Yang,  not  content  with  his  triumphs  in  that 
branch  of  science,  frequently  carried  his  researches  and 
experiments  to  a pitch  that  caused  the  members  of  his 
multitudinous  household  no  less  inconvenience  than 
alarm.  Yang  was  a fine  sample  of  the  modern  Chinese 
savant — fat,  good-natured,  and  contented  ; but  much 
inclined  to  take  short  cuts  to  scientific  knowledge,  and 
to  esteem  his  own  incomplete  and  hap-hazard  achieve- 
ments the  results  of  marvellously  perfect  intelligence. 
His  house,  like  most  others  in  China,  was  approached 
through  a lane  hedged  in  by  high  brick  walls  on  either 
side,  so  that  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  of  it  from 
without  save  the  small  doorway  and  a low  brick  parti- . 
tion  about  six  feet  beyond  the  threshold — the  latter 


K2Q 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


intended  to  prevent  the  ingress  of  the  spirits  of  the 
dead.  Within  there  was  the  usual  array  of  courts  and 
halls,  reached  by  narrow  vine-shaded  corridors ; but 
each  court  was  tastefully  laid  out  with  rockeries, 
flowers,  fish-ponds,  bridges,  and  pavilions,  as  may  be 
gathered  from  the  accompanying  illustrations.  Really 
the  place  was  very  picturesque,  and  admirably  suited 
to  the  disposition  of  a people  affecting  seclusion  and 
the  pleasures  of  family  life  ; and  who  (so  far  as  the 
women  are  concerned)  know  little  or  nothing  of  the 
world  in  which  they  live  beyond  what  they  gather 
within  the  walls  of  their  own  abode. 

Here  I was,  then,  admitted  at  last  into  the  sacred 
precincts  of  the  mysterious  Chinese  dwelling.  Its 
proprietor  was  an  amateur,  not  merely  of  photography, 
but  of  chemistry  and  electricity,  too  ; and  he  had  a 
laboratory  fitted  up  in  the  ladies’  quarter.  In  one 
corner  of  this  laboratory  stood  a black  carved  bedstead, 
curtained  with  silk,  and  pillowed  with  wood  ; while  a 
carved  bench,  also  of  black  wood,  supported  a hetero- 
geneous collection  of  instruments,  chemical,  electrical, 
and  photographic,  besides  Chinese  and  European 
books. 

The  walls  were  garnished  with  enlarged  photo- 
graphs of  Yang’s  family  and  friends.  In  a small  outer 
court  care  had  been  taken  to  supply  a fowl-house  with 
a steam  saw-mill,  with  which  the  owner  had  achieved 
wonders  in  the  short  space  of  a single  day. 

The  machine,  indeed,  had  never  enjoyed  but  that 
one  chance  of  distinguishing  itself ; for  the  Pekingese, 
disturbed  by  the  whirr  of  the  engines,  scaled  the  walls 
with  ladders,  clustered  on  to  the  roofs,  and  compelled 
the  startled  proprietor  to  abandon  his  undertaking. 


CHINESE  GENTLEMAN'S  GARDEN 


CHINESE  LADIES. 


521 

There,  then,  stood  the  motionless  mill,  with  one  or  two 
dejected  fowls  perched  upon  its  cylinder — a monster 
whom  long  familiarity  had  taught  even  the  poultry  to 
despise.  I saw  the  ladies  several  times  while  I was 
teaching  my  friend  how  to  concoct  nitrate  of  silver  and 
other  photographic  chemicals.  Some  of  these  women 
were  handsome,  and  all  were  dressed  in  rich  satins  ; 
but  the  following  information,  which  I received  from 
an  English  lady  (Mrs.  Edkins),  who  is  much  and  de- 
servedly esteemed  for  her  good  works  among  the 
natives,  will  give  further  insight  into  the  daily  life  of 
the  Pekingese  ladies. 

Many  Chinese  ladies  spend  a great  portion  of  their 
time  in  gossiping,  smoking,  and  gambling — very  un- 
lady-like occupations,  my  fair  readers  will  exclaim  ; 
nevertheless,  these  accomplishments,  taken  either  singly 
or  collectively,  require  years  of  assiduous  training  before 
they  can  be  practised  with  that  perfection  which  pre- 
vails in  polite  circles  in  China.  Gambling,  it  is  to  be 
regretted,  is  by  far  the  most  favourite  pastime,  and  it 
is  perhaps  but  cold  comfort  to  reflect  that  this  vice  is 
not  monopolised  by  the  ladies  of  Cathay,  but  that  it  is 
their  lords  who  set  them  the  example.  They  never 
dream  of  playing  except  for  money ; and  when  they 
have  no  visitors  of  their  own  rank  to  gamble  with,  they 
call  up  the  domestics  and  play  with  them. 

Poorer  women  meet  at  some  gaming  den,  and  there 
manage  to  squander  large  sums  of  money  ; thus  afford- 
ing their  devoted  husbands  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
when  debts  must  be  discharged  which  they  are  unable 
to  pay,  an  excuse  for  committing  suicide. 

The  married  lady  rises  early,  and  first  sees  that  tea 
is  prepared  for  her  husband,  as  well  as  some  hot  water 


522 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


for  his  morning  wash.  The  same  attention  is  also 
exacted  by  the  mother-in-law  ; for  she  is  always  present, 
like  the  guardian  angel  of  her  son.  As  a rule,  how- 
ever, the  mother-in-law  is  not  held  to  be  an  angel  by 
the  wife,  who,  during  the  lifetime  of  her  husband’s 
mother,  has  to  be  a very  drudge  in  the  house.  It  may 
be  unkind  to  relate  it,  but  the  truth  must  be  told  : the 
ladies,  in  the  morning,  fly  about  with  shoes  down  at 
heel — that  is,  the  Tartars  do,  who  have  not  small  feet — 
dressed  en  dishabille,  and  shouting  out  their  orders 
to  the  domestic  slaves.  In  short,  a general  uproar 
prevails  in  many  Chinese  households  until  everything 
for  the  elaborate  toilet  has  been  procured. 

Each  lady  has  generally  one  or  two  maids,  besides 
a small  slave-girl  who  waits  on  these  maids,  and  trims 
and  lights  her  mistress’  pipe.  The  dressing  of  a lady’s 
hair  occupies  her  attendants  from  one  to  two  hours  ; 
then  a white  paste  is  prepared,  and  daubed  over  her 
face  and  neck;- and  this,  when  dry,  is  smoothed  and 
polished  once.  Afterwards  a blush  of  rose-powder  is 
applied  to  the  cheeks  and  eyelids,  the  surplus  rouge 
remaining  on  the  lady’s  palm,  as  a rose-pink  on  the 
hand  is  greatly  esteemed.  Next  they  dye  the  nails 
red  with  the  blossom  of  a certain  flower;  and  finally 
they  dress  for  the  day.  Many  of  them  have  chignons 
and  false  hair  ; but  no  hair-dyes  are  used,  for  raven 
hair  is  common,  and  golden  tresses  are  not  in  repute. 

Numbers  of  ladies  pass  a portion  of  their  time  in 
embroidering  shoes,  purses,  handkerchiefs,  and  such 
like  gear ; while  before  marriage,  nearly  all  their  days 
are  occupied  in  preparations  for  the  dreary  event  of 
wedding  one  whom  probably  they  never  yet  have  seen, 
and  for  whom  they  can  never  rare.  Women  of  educa- 


CANTONESE  BOAT  WOMAN. 


NINC'.PO  WOMAN. 


PEPOHOAN. 


TARTAR. 


E VEXING  A M USE  ME  NTS. 


523 


tion there  are,  alas!  but  a few —occasionally  hire 

educated  widows  in  needy  circumstances  to  read  novels 
or  plays  to  them.  Women  capable  of  reading  in  this 
way  can  make  a very  comfortable  living.  Story-tellers 
and  ballad-singers  are  also  employed  to  entertain  them 
in  the  courts  of  their  houses. 

The  evenings  they  generally  spend  in  their  court- 
yards, smoking  and  watching  the  amusements  of  the 


TARTAR  LADIES. 


children  ; and  on  these  occasions  conjurors,  Punch -and- 
Judy  men,  and  ventriloquists,  are  much  in  demand. 
The  families  retire  early  to  rest,  the  ladies  never  caring 
to  spoil  their  eyes  by  working  under  the  light  of  a 
lamp.  Opium-smoking  is  freely  indulged  in  by  many 
women  in  China. 

The  romance  of  love  is  not  unknown  in  the  land, 

38 


INDO-CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


524 

although  few  marriages  are  ever  celebrated  where  the 
contracting  parties  have  formed  an  attachment,  or  even 
seen  each  other,  before  their  wedding-day. 

On  leaving  Yang’s  dwelling,  I had  always  to  make 
my  way  across  a flooded  court,  where  a steam  mining- 
pump  had  once  been  set  going,  and  had  deluged  the 
premises  before  it  could  be  stopped.  My  friend,  when 
I took  my  departure,  was  daily  expecting  the  complete 
apparatus  for  a small  gas-work,  to  supply  his  house 
with  gas — a feat  which  I believe  he  successfully  accom- 
plished without  blowing  up  his  abode. 

Pekingese  Enamelling. — There  are  but  one  or  two 
shops  in  Peking  where  the  art  of  enamelling  is  carried 
on.  The  oldest  enamelled  vases  were  made  during 
the  Ta-ming  dynasty,  about  three  centuries  ago;  but 
these  are  said  to  be  inferior  to  what  were  produced 
about  200  years  later,  when  Kien-lung  was  on  the 
throne.  Within  the  last  quarter  of  a century  the  art 
has  been  revived.  One  of  the  best  shops  for  such 
work  stood  not  far  from  the  French  Legation,  and  was 
— strangely  enough — kept  by  a Manchu  named  Kwan. 

The  first  part  of  the  process  consists  in  forming  a 
copper  vase  of  the  desired  form,  partly  beaten  into 
shape,  and  partly  soldered.  The  design  for  the 
enamelled  flowers  and  figures  is  then  traced  on  to  the 
copper  by  a native  artist,  and  afterwards  all  the  lines 
engraved  are  replaced  by  strips  of  copper,  soldered 
hard  on  to  the  vase,  and  rather  thicker  than  the  depth 
of  the  enamel  which  they  are  destined  to  contain. 
The  materials  used  for  soldering  are  borax  and  silver, 
which  require  a higher  temperature  for  fusion  than  the 
enamel  itself.  The  design  is  now  filled  in  with  the 
various  coloured  enamels,  reduced  to  a state  of  powder 


MAKING  ENAMEL.  PEKING 


MR.  WANG. 


525 


and  made  into  a paste  by  the  admixture  of  water. 
The  enamel  powders  are  said  to  be  prepared  by  a 
secret  process,  known  only  to  one  man  in  Peking,  who 
sells  them  in  a solid  form,  like  slabs  of  different-coloured 
glass.  The  delicate  operation  of  filling  in  the  coloured 
powders  is  chiefly  carried  on  by  boys,  who  manage  to 
blend  the  colours  with  wonderful  perfection.  After 
the  design  has  been  filled  in,  the  vase  is  next  subjected 
to  a heat  that  fuses  the  enamel.  Imperfections  are 
then  filled  up,  and  the  whole  is  fused  again.  This 
operation  is  repeated  three  times,  and  then  the  vase  is 
ready  to  be  filed,  ground,  and  polished.  The  grinding 
and  polishing  are  conducted  on  a rude  lathe,  and  when 
completed  the  vase  is  gilt.  Some  of  the  largest  and 
finest  vases  sell  for  thousands  of  taels,  and  are  much 
prized  by  the  Chinese,  as  well  as  among  foreigners. 

On  October  18  I set  out  with  two  friends  for  the 
Summer  Palace  at  Yuen-ming-Yuen,  about  eight  miles 
to  the  north-west  of  Peking.  One  of  our  party,  Mr. 
Wang,  to  whom  I have  already  referred,  was  connected 
with  the  Peking  Board  of  Works.  This  gentleman 
used  his  official  cart  and  was  followed  by  a mounted 
retainer,  while  Dr.  Dudgeon  and  I rode  ponies.  On 
the  way,  near  the  Imperial  palace,  we  fell  in  with  a pro- 
cession of  sixty-four  men  bearing  a huge  sedan,  wherein 
sat  fourteen  friends  of  Wang,  his  colleagues  at  the 
Board  of  Works.  These  gentlemen  were  testing  the 
strength  of  the  chair  which  they  had  prepared  to  convey 
the  remains  of  an  Imperial  princess  to  sepulture. 
Something,  this,  on  the  principle  of  placing  a railway 
director  in  front  of  every  train  ! A great  vase  filled 
to  the  brim  with  water  had  been  set  up  in  the  centre 
of  the  sedan,  in  order  to  train  the  bearers  to  maintain 


526 


IN  DO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


an  accurate  level.  Whether  the  tea  and  refreshments, 
and  the  general  hilarity  of  the  party,  had  anything  to 
do  with  this  official  investigation  I am  at  a loss  to 
determine,  but  at  any  rate  the  duties  of  the  Board, 
apart  from  their  extreme  usefulness,  appeared  to  be 
far  from  disagreeable.  Further  on  the  road  I had  a 
race  with  a cavalry  officer,  and  I managed  to  get  ahead 
of  him,  but  not  until  the  saddle  of  my  trusty  steed  was 
nearly  over  its  shoulders. 

By  four  o’clock  we  had  reached  the  grounds  of  the 
palace,  and  there  we  found  a wilderness  of  ruin  and 
devastation  which  it  was  piteous  to  behold.  Marble 
slabs  and  sculptured  ornaments  that  had  graced  one  of 
the  finest  scenes  in  China  now  lay  scattered  every  where 
among  the  ddbris  and  weeds.  But  there  were  some  of 
the  monuments  which  had  defied  the  hand  of  the 
invaders,  or  been  spared,  let  us  hope,  on  account  of 
their  beauty.  Among  these  is  a marble  bridge  on 
seventeen  arches,  which  spans  a lotus  lake.  This  was 
still  in  perfect  preservation  ; and  in  the  far  distance, 
too,  the  great  temple  on  Wan-show-shan  could  be  seen 
sparkling  intact  in  the  sunlight.  At  the  base  of  this 
pile  were  a multitude  of  splendid  statues,  pagodas,  and 
other  ornaments,  overthrown  during  the  fearful  raid  of 
the  allies.  Enough  yet  remained,  however,  to  give 
some  faint  notion  of  the  untold  wealth  and  labour  that 
must  have  been  lavished  on  this  Imperial  retreat. 

The  Summer  Palace  lay  in  ruins  within  its  boundary 
walls,  just  as  it  was  looted  and  left.  It  is  a pity  that 
redress  for  a breach  of  treaty  obligations  was  not  sought 
by  some  less  destructive  mode  than  this  ; by  some 
really  glorious  achievement,  which  would  have  im- 
pressed the  Chinese  with  exalted  ideas  of  our  civilisa- 


WAN-SHOW-SHAN 


YUEN-MING-  YUEN. 


527 


tion  as  much  as  it  terrified  them  with  the  awfulness  of 
our  power.  If,  for  example,  the  capital  had  been  held 
long  enough  to  show  what  improvements  a wise  and 
liberal  administration  could,  even  in  a short  time,  ac- 
complish in  the  condition  of  the  people  and  the  country  ; 
then,  after  a suitable  indemnity  had  been  paid  for  the 
lesson  which  we  had  been  forced  to  convey,  we  might 
have  withdrawn  with  dignity  and  left  no  deep-rooted 
rankling  hatred  behind.  This  hatred  will  probably 
manifest  itself  ere  long,  not  in  the  petty  annoyances  to 
which  foreign  travellers  or  traders  have  now  to  submit, 
but  in  one  desperate  concentrated  effort  to  drive  the 
foreigner  from  Chinese  soil. 

Wang  made  not  a single  allusion  to  the  wreck 
around  him.  He  admired,  indeed,  what  little  was  left 
of  the  former  splendour  of  the  palace ; but  it  was  im- 
possible to  fathom  his  real  sentiments,  for  a Chinaman, 
when  interrogated,  will  never  disclose  what  he  thinks. 

At  the  monastery  of  Wo-foh-sze,  or  ‘the  Sleeping 
Buddha,’  we  found  a resting-place  for  the  night.  The 
old  Lama  here  was  complaining  of  bad  times.  There 
was  not  enough  land,  he  said,  to  support  the  establish- 
ment, and  that  though  every  monk  enjoyed  a yearly 
grant  of  twelve  taels  (equal  to  about  3/.  105.  of  our 
money)  from  the  Peking  Board  of  Rites.  But  of  late 
years  there  have  been  but  few  of  the  members  of  the 
Imperial  family  to  bury — a ceremony  for  which  this 
establishment  receives  a fee  of  some  300  taels. 

A remarkably  beautiful  place  was  W o-foh-sze ; and 
the  quarters  of  the  monks  there,  though  furnished  with 
the  usual  simplicity,  were  wonderfully  clean  and  well 
kept. 

There  are  many  institutions  and  objects  of  interest 


528 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


in  Peking,  but  to  describe  even  the  most  prominent 
among  them  would  require  a volume  by  itself. 

The  most  remarkable,  and  perhaps  the  finest,  monu- 
ment in  all  China  is  the  marble  cenotaph  erected  over 
the  robes  and  relics  of  the  Banjin  Lama  of  Thibet. 
This  edifice  stands  in  the  grounds  of  the  Hwang-She 
monastery,  about  a mile  beyond  the  north  wall  of 
Peking.  When  on  my  way  to  inspect  it  I witnessed 
a review  of  some  of  the  northern  army  on  the  Anting 
plain.  Many  thousands  of  troops,  infantry  as  well  as 
cavalry,  were  in  the  field,  and  at  a distance  they  made 
a warlike  and  imposing  show  ; but  nearer  examination 
always  seems  to  me  to  alter  one’s  conceptions  of  the 
greatness  of  human  institutions,  and  more  especially  so 
where  Chinese  are  concerned.  Thus  a close  view  of 
one  of  their  river  gun-boats  revealed  to  me  that  a stand 
of  rifles  which  occupied  a prominent  place  on  its  deck 
were  all  constructed  of  wood  ; and  the  ancient  foes  of 
China  have  more  than  once  in  the  same  way  advanced 
with  caution  to  surprise  a tented  camp,  and  discovered 
that  the  tents  were  but  white- washed  clay  mounds  in 
undisturbed  possession  of  the  field.  Thus  also  on  the 
Anting  plain,  beneath  the  flaunting  banners,  we  found 
the  men  armed  with  the  old  matchlocks  or  with  bows 
and  arrows ; and  carrying  huge  basket-work  shields 
painted  with  the  faces  of  ogres  to  strike  terror  into  the 
hearts  of  a foe.  For  all  that,  evidences  of  military 
reform  were  not  altogether  wanting.  Thus  there  were 
modern  field-pieces,  modern  rifles,  fair  target  practice, 
and,  above  all,  desperate  efforts  to  maintain  discipline 
and  order.  At  the  same  time  I could  not  help  thinking 
of  Le-hung-chang  (to  whom  I had  the  honour  of 
being  introduced  at  Tientsin),  the  founder  of  the  first 


LE-IIUNG-  CHANG. 


529 


arsenal  on  a foreign  type  in  China,  and  the  companion 
in  arms  of  Colonel  Gordon  and  Tseng-kwo-fan.  Per- 
sonally Le  is  the  picture  of  a military  leader,  tall, 
resolute,  and  calm,  a man  of  iron  will,  and  altogether 
the  finest  specimen  of  his  race  whom  I ever  fell  in  with. 
He  probably  at  the  present  moment  is  influencing  the 
progress  and  destinies  of  his  countrymen  more  than 
any  living  son  of  Han.  Perhaps  he  entertains  an 
exaggerated  belief  in  the  capabilities  of  his  nation  ; 
but  at  the  same  time  he  is  deeply  conscious  of  the 
power  of  Western  kingdoms,  and  ardently  desires  to 
fathom  the  secrets  of  their  superiority.  On  one  occa- 
sion, when  filled  with  honest  admiration  of  the  beauty 
and  genius  displayed  in  a piece  of  foreign  mechanism, 
he  exclaimed,  ‘ How  wonderful ! how  comes  it  that 
such  inventions  and  discoveries  are  always  foreign  ? 
It  must  be  something  different  in  the  constitution  of 
our  minds  that  causes  us  to  remain  as  we  were.’  But 
after  all  perhaps  he  may  have  intended  to  compliment 
his  auditors  rather  than  to  give  genuine  expression  to 
his  opinions.  He  probably  knows  that  for  untold 
centuries  there  has  been  little  or  no  opportunity  for 
the  development  of  genius  in  China.  The  light  of 
truth  has  been  sought  for  only  in  the  dark  pages  of 
past  history ; and  the  Chinese,  in  their  efforts  to  attain 
to  the  perfection  of  their  mythical  kings  and  of  the 
maxims  embodied  in  their  classics,  have  set  up  an  in- 
quisition which  perforce  suppresses  originality  and 
uproots  invention  like  a noxious  weed. 

We  are  now  at  the  grand  cenotaph  ; but,  after  all, 
what  is  there  in  its  massive  proportions,  its  grotesque 
sculptures,  its  golden  crown,  and  its  shady  groves  of 
cypress  and  pine  that  will  for  a moment^  compare  in 


53° 


INDO-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


interest  with  the  daily  life  and  aspirations  of  the  mean- 
est coolie  who  comes  here  to  gaze  with  reverend  awe 
and  to  place  his  simple  votive  offering  before  the 
temple  shrine  ! The  story  of  this  building  is  a short 
one.  The  broad  white  marble  base  which  gleams  in 
the  sunlight  covers  the  relics  of  a Mongol  Lama  who 
was  esteemed  an  incarnate  Buddha.  Yonder  is  the 
vacant  throne  in  the  Hwang-Shi,  or  ‘ Central  Hall,’ 
whereon  this  human  deity  sat  in  state  with  his  face  to 
the  East.  In  another  apartment  we  see  the  bed  on 
which  his  holiness  expired ; poisoned,  as  is  said,  by  a 
jealous  Emperor  towards  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  Imperial  murderer  treating  his  victim  with 
the  most  stately  courtesy  to  the  last,  and  even  worship- 
ping and  glorifying  him  in  public  while  his  sacrifice  was 
being  secretly  prepared. 

Mr.  Wylie,  of  the  London  Bible  Society,  who  was 
journeying  into  the  Northern  Provinces,  accompanied 
me  to  the  great  wall;  and  Mr.  Welmer,  a Russian 
gentleman,  also  joined  our  party.  Outside  the  Anting 
plain  we  halted  at  an  inn  called  ‘ The  Gem  of  Pros- 
perity,’ and,  praise  be  to  the  Board  of  Works  ! we  there 
found  men  repairing  the  roads.  At  Ma-teen  there  was 
a sheep-market,  and  Mongols  disposing  of  their  flocks. 
It  is  strange  to  note  the  strong  nomadic  tendencies  of 
this  race.  In  the  Mongol  quarter  at  Peking  I have 
seen  them  actually  place  their  beasts  of  burden  inside 
the  apartments  of  the  house  they  hired,  and  pitch  their 
own  tent  in  the  court  outside.  The  condition  of  the 
sheep  testified  to  the  richness  of  the  Mongolian  pas- 
tures ; while  the  shepherds,  clad  in  sheep-skin  coats, 
were  a hardy,  raw-boned  looking  race.  At  Sha-ho 
village,  in  the  inn  of  ‘ Patriotic  Perfection,'  we  made  a 


NANKO  W. 


53i 


second  halt.  Here  in  our  chamber  we  found  this 
maxim  written  up  on  a board  : ‘ All  who  seek  wealth 
by  the  only  pure  principles  will  find  it.’  Judging  by 
this  doctrine  our  host  must  have  been  a sad  ruffian, 
for  the  poverty  of  his  surroundings  bore  witness  that 
he,  for  his  part,  must  have  sought  after  riches  in  some 
very  questionable  channel.  We  spent  the  night  at  Suy- 
Shan  Inn,  Nankow.  It  was  truly  a wretched  place  : 
the  ‘ grand  chamber  ’ measured  about  eight  feet  across, 
and  was  supplied  with  the  usual  brick  bed,  having  an 
oven  underneath  it.  In  a room  of  this  sort  the  fire  is 
usually  lit  at  night  and  is  made  up  of  charcoal,  so  that 
persons  sleeping  there  are  apt  to  be  poisoned  by  the 
fumes.  Such  a calamity  indeed,  at  times,  will  occur. 
In  other  respects  those  who  are  used  to  a brick  bed 
and  a billet  of  wood  for  a pillow  may  sleep  comfortably 
enough  ; unless  by  chance  the  bricks  become  red-hot, 
and  then  one  is  apt  to  be  done  brown.  We  left  Nan- 
kow at  six  o’clock  in  the  morning,  and  followed  the  old 
Mongol  road  formed  by  blocks  of  porphyry  and  marble. 
Through  the  pass  our  conveyances  were  litters  slung 
between  two  mules,  one  in  front  the  other  behind. 
Although  there  is  here  a great  traffic  between  Thibet, 
Mongolia,  Russia,  and  China,  the  road  in  many  places 
was  all  but  impassable,  not  to  say  extremely  dangerous, 
skirting  as  it  does  precipitous  rocks  where  the  slip  of  a 
hoof  on  the  part  of  either  mule  might  end  in  a fatal 
accident.  We  were  constantly  falling  in  with  long 
trains  of  camels,  mules,  and  donkeys,  all  heavily  laden, 
some  with  brick-tea  for  the  Mongolian  and  Russian 
markets,  while  others  bore  produce  to  the  capital  from 
the  outer  dependencies  of  China.  At  Kew-yung-kwan, 
an  inner  spur  of  the  great  wall  sweeps  across  the  pass  ; 


532 


1ND0- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


and  here,  too,  is  the  old  arch  to  which  1 have  already 
referred,  and  which  has  been  rendered  famous  by  Mr. 
Wylie’s  successful  labours  in  translating  the  Buddhist 
prayer  inscribed  in  six  different  languages  on  its  inner 
wall.  On  this  arch,  too,  we  find  bas-reliefs  representing 
the  Kings  of  the  Devas  in  Buddhist  mythology.  The 
structure  is  supposed  to  have  been  erected  during  the 
Yuen  dynasty,  and  is  said  originally  to  have  carried 
a pagoda  on  its  summit : but  this  was  afterwards  taken 
down  by  the  Mings,  to  propitiate  the  Mongol  tribes.  I 
have  on  another  page  drawn  attention  to  the  Indian 
mythological  figures  with  which  this  arch  is  adorned,  and 
Mr.  Wylie’s  notice  of  the  inscription  will  be  found  in 
the  ‘Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,’  vol.  v., 
part  i,  pp.  14,  seq. 

It  is  necessary  to  be  careful  in  bargaining  with  the 
men  who  take  one  up  this  pass,  for  they  will  impose  on 
foreigners  in  every  possible  way.  Thus,  when  about 
to  struggle  through  the  rough  parts  of  the  roughest 
road  in  the  world,  they  will  ask  for  a guide  a-piece  to 
pilot  them  over  each  rock  and  boulder  that  has  to  be 
crossed.  It  always  happens  that  these  guides  are 
themselves  most  extortionate  characters,  and  as  the 
way  grows  more  difficult  some  fresh  demand  is  certain 
to  be  put  forward.  Our  friend,  Mr.  Welmer,  had 
arranged  everything  with  our  men  before  we  left 
Peking,  but  still  they  made  most  pertinacious  efforts  to 
extort  more  money  from  us. 

At  the  great  wall  I reluctantly  parted  from  Mr. 
Wylie,  who  is  one  of  the  most  distinguished  and 
modest  travellers  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  meet. 

The  wall  has  been  often  described,  but  I confess 
that  it  disappointed  me.  It  is  simply  a gigantic  useless 


THE  GEE  AT  WALL. 


533 


stone  fence,  climbing  the  hills  and  dipping  down  into 
the  valleys.  At  the  point  I visited  it  has  been  fre- 
quently repaired,  and  only  attained  to  its  present 
massive  proportions  during  the  Ming  dynasty.  That 
piece  of  it  which  we  see  in  the  Nankow  pass  at  Pan- 
ta-ling  is  not  so  old  by  several  centuries  as  the  outer 
wall,  which  was  built  by  ‘ Tsin-she-whang,’  b.c.  213.1 
In  its  route  of  over  1,000  miles  there  are  some  portions 
of  the  wall  which,  from  neglect,  have  now  fallen  into 
decay ; but  it  was  never  much  more  than  a clay  mound 
even  in  its  best  parts,  faced  with  sun-dried  bricks,  and 
in  the  passes,  as  at  Pan-ta-ling,  with  stone.  It  now 
only  stands  as  a colossal  monument  of  misdirected 
human  labour,  and  of  the  genius  which  the  Chinese 
have  ever  displayed  in  raising  costly  barriers  to  shut 
out  barbarians  from  the  ‘Central  Flowery  Land.’  In 
vain  were  all  these  toilsome  precautions  ! The  danger 
that  was  threatening  them  within  the  country  they  all 
the  while  failed  to  guard  against,  and  from  this  very 
cause  at  last  the  native  dynasty  had  to  succumb  before 
an  alien  race. 

To  understand  this  we  must  remember  that  a rebel 
wrested  the  throne  from  the  last  Chinese  Emperor,  and 
that,  when  this  usurper  had  been  in  turn  dethroned,  the 
Manchus,  taking  advantage  of  the  existing  disorder, 
came  in  and  conquered  China. 

On  my  return  journey  I fell  in  with  a gang  of  con- 
victs, heavily  chained,  and  sent  adrift  to  seek  a pre 
carious  living  in  the  pass.  There  they  spent  theii 
existence,  shut  out  from  the  villages  and  shunned  by 
all.  One,  who  had  charge  of  the  rest,  rode  an  ass 
Half  the  hair  had  been  rubbed  off  this  poor  brute’s 

1 See  Journeys  in  North  China , Rev.  Dr.  Williamson,  ii.  390. 


534  IND O-  CHINA  AND  CHINA. 

back  by  the  irons  of  its  rider,  and  even  with  it  respect- 
able donkeys,  as  they  passed  in  trains,  would  hold  no 
intercourse.  Many  of  the  traders  we  met  were  fine- 
looking  men,  and  few  went  by  us  without  bestowing  a 
kindly  salutation. 

At  Nankow  I put  up  again  at  the  inn,  and  there 
found  a native  merchant  in  possession  of  the  best 
room.  He  politely  offered  to  vacate  it  in  my  favour  ; 
but  this  I,  of  course,  refused  to  allow,  contenting  my- 
self with  an  apartment  where  Ahong,  having  first  ob- 
tained the  unwilling  consent  of  the  landlord,  set  to  with 
a half-naked  slave  to  reduce  the  table  and  chair  until 
they  disclosed  the  wood  of  which  they  were  made. 
There  were  also  many  spider-webs ; but  we  left  these 
undisturbed,  for  their  bloated  occupants  were  feasting 
on  the  flies  with  which  the  room  was  infested.  The 
merchant  had  a train  of  fourteen  mules,  an  elegant 
sedan,  and  a troop  of  muleteers,  who  were  carousing 
in  the  next  apartment.  A merry  time  they  had  of  it ! 
One  of  them  was  still  gesticulating  like  a Chinese 
stage-warrior  as  I dropped  off  to  sleep. 

In  the  morning  I was  awakened  by  the  clang  of  a 
smith’s  anvil,  and  found  that  the  smith  was  one  of  the 
many  travelling  workmen  who  abound  in  Cathay.  He 
was  making  knives  and  reaping-hooks,  and  had  con- 
trived a simple  forge  by  attaching  a tube  to  his  air- 
pump,  passing  this  beneath  the  ground,  and  then  bring- 
ing up  the  end,  so  as  to  play  through  the  fire  which 
lay  in  a hollow  in  the  soil. 

There  was  also  a Mohammedan  inn  at  Nankow,  and 
there  the  host  and  his  attendants  were  remarkable  for 
their  Indian  physiognomies.  At  the  same  place,  too, 
I found  a guide,  who  had  distinguished  himself  by 


THE  MING  TOMBS. 


535 


showing  former  visitors  through  the  pass.  This  indi- 
vidual had  fallen  heir  to  a pair  of  enormous  foreign 
boots,  which  he  kept  on  his  feet  by  pads  and  swathes 
of  cloth.  He  had,  besides,  obtained  a number  of 
certificates  from  his  patrons,  which,  almost  without  ex- 
ception, described  him  as  a great  ruffian.  These 
certificates  he  presented  for  my  inspection,  with  an 
evident  air  of  pride.  He  also  said  that  his  sympathies 
were  not  Chinese,  and,  pointing  to  his  boots,  declared 
that  he  was  a foreigner  like  myself. 

From  Nankow  I proceeded  on  to  the  Ming  tombs. 
For  the  information  of  those  among  my  readers  who 
may  be  still  unacquainted  with  the  great  burial-ground 
where  thirteen  Emperors  of  the  Ming  dynasty  were 
interred,  I will  give  a brief  summary  of  my  experiences 
in  that  place. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Nanking,  the.  ancient 
capital,  where  the  founder  of  the  Ming  dynasty  estab- 
lished his  court,  contains  the  first  mausoleum  of  those 
Kings — a mausoleum  in  almost  every  particular  resem- 
bling the  tombs  of  the  same  line  in  the  valley  thirty 
miles  north  of  Peking.  These  tombs  lie  at  the  foot  of 
a semi-circle  of  hills,  which  has  something  like  a three 
miles’  radius. 

The  temple  of  Ching-tsoo,  who  reigned  with  the 
national  designation  of  Yung-lo,  from  1403  till  his  death 
in  1424,  is  by  far  the  finest  of  these  Imperial  resting- 
places.  It  is  approached  through  an  avenue  of  colossal 
animals  and  warriors  sculptured  in  stone,  and  although 
some  of  the  figures  are  in  attitudes  of  perfect  repose, 
well  becoming  in  the  guardians  of  the  illustrious  dead, 
yet  when  we  view  them  as  the  finest  specimens  of 
sculpture  which  China  has  to  show,  we  must  acknow- 

39 


S3<5 


INDO- CHINA  AND  CHINA. 


ledge  that  her  ancient  art  falls  far  short  of  our  own 
modern  standard.  I doubt,  however,  whether  Chinese 
artists  of  the  present  day  could  produce  anything,  I do 
not  say  better,  but  even  so  good  as  these  Ming  statues. 
The  great  tomb  may  be  set  down  in  most  respects  as 
a counterpart  of  the  architecture  which  prevails  in  the 
temples,  the  palaces,  and  even  the  dwellings  in  China. 
I was  pleased  to  find  that  Mr.  Simpson,  in  his  interest- 
ing account  of  his  tour  round  the  world,  has  also 
noticed  this  similarity.  It  must  of  necessity  be  so,  as 
the  Chinese  look  upon  such  a tomb  as  this  as  the 
palace  of  the  spirit  of  Yung-lo.  The  animals  and 
warriors  form  his  retinue,  while  offerings  to  his  soul 
are  annually  made  at  the  shrine  in  the  great  sacrificial 
hall.  In  the  same  way  with  their  gods:  the  temples 
are  the  palaces  wherein  the  deities  reside,  and  indeed 
the  word  ‘kung,’1  used  to  designate  Taouist  temples, 
signifies  ‘ a palace.’ 

The  Emperors  of  the  present  dynasty,  who  drove 
the  Mings  from  their  dominions,  still  offer  sacrifices  at 
the  tombs  of  those  sovereigns  ; and  this  they  do,  it 
may  be,  out  of  mere  state  policy,  or  perhaps  because 
the  spirits  of  the  departed  monarchs  are  supposed  to 
exercise  an  influence  over  the  Imperial  throne. 

Although  Chinese  buildings,  in  their  general  plan, 
present  many  points  of  similarity,  differences  neverthe- 
less exist  in  the  number  of  their  courts,  and  in  the 
details  of  the  various  kinds  of  edifices.  Thus  the 
magisterial  yamen  has  usually  four  courts ; the  "first 
three,  with  the  apartments  attached  to  them,  comprising 
the  various  offices  required  for  administrative  purposes  ; 
while  the  fourth,  with  its  buildings,  is  sacred  to  the 
1 The  Religious  Condition  of  the  Chinese,  Edkins,  p.  42. 


CONCLUSION. 


537 


mandarin  and  his  family.  But  it  is  impossible  to  treat, 
at  the  conclusion  of  a chapter,  of  a subject  which  would 
worthily  fill  a volume  ; nor  can  I do  more  than  bestow 
this  passing  glance  at  the  Valley  of  Tombs,  which 
marks  the  resting-place  of  the  last  Chinese  dynasty. 

In  conclusion,  I venture  to  hope  that— so  far  as  my 
years  of  travel  and  personal  observation  suffice— I have 
given  the  reader  some  insight  into  the  present  condition 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  vast  Chinese  Empire.  The 
picture  at  best  is  a sad  one ; and  though  a ray  of  sun- 
shine may  brighten  it  here  and  there,  yet,  after  all, 
the  darkness  that  broods  over  the  land  becomes  but 
the  more  palpable  under  this  straggling  fitful  light. 
Poverty  and  ignorance  we  have  among  us  in  England  ; 
but  no  poverty  so  wretched,  no  ignorance  so  intense, 
as  are  found  among  the  millions  of  China. 


APPENDIX. 


— — *o* 

THE  ABORIGINAL  DIALECTS  OF  FORMOSA. 

THERE  appears  to  be  no  trace  of  the  existence  of  a written 
language  among  the  aborigines  of  Formosa,  unless  indeed 
we  take  into  account  the  use  which  the  semi-civilised  tribes 
have  made  of  Roman  and  Chinese  written  characters. 

The  use  of  the  former  was  taught  by  the  Dutch  over  two 
centuries  ago,  when  they  occupied  the  island.  Some  singular 
specimens  of  Romanised  Malay  documents  are  still  treasured 
up  among  the  tribes,  although  they  are  quite  ignorant  of  their 
value,  as  they  are  now  unable  to  translate  them.  These 
papers  are  chiefly  title-deeds  to  property,  or  simple  business 
agreements  between  man  and  man. 

The  Chinese,  since  the  time  of  the  Dutch  occupation,  have 
impressed  upon  the  Pepohoan,  or  ‘ strangers  of  the  plain,’  their 
own  language  both  written  and  oral.  It  was  therefore  only  from 
the  oldest  members  of  the  Baksa  Pepohoan  tribe  that  I could 
obtain  the  words  set  down  in  the  Vocabulary.  At  Baksa  the 
native  language  has  been  superseded  by  the  Chinese  colloquial 
dialect. 

The  Shekhoan  is  the  great  northern  tribe  of  half-civilised 
aborigines.  They  still  retain  their  original  tongue,  although 
the  crafty  Chinese  invaders  are  making  rapid  inroads  on  their 
fertile  valleys,  and  civilising  them  out  of  the  lands,  if  not 
out  of  the  language  of  their  fathers. 

In  the  savage  mountain  tribes  of  Formosa — separated  as 
they  are  from  each  other  by  impenetrable  forests,  rocky  bar- 
riers, impetuous  torrents,  and  deep  ravines,  as  well  as  by  cease- 
less warfare — we  have  an  example  of  the  change  which,  in  time, 
may  be  effected  in  a language  by  the  breaking  up  of  a race 
into  tribes  which  for  at  least  two  hundred  years  have  been 


54° 


APPENDIX. 


from  necessity,  for  the  most  part,  isolated  from  each  other, 
and  where  oral  tradition  afforded  the  only  means  of  retaining 
a knowledge  of  their  original  tongue.  We  find  that  the  nu- 
merals of  the  language,  which  were  probably  the  sounds  most 
constantly  in  use,  have  suffered  least  change,  and  the  number 
five  has  retained  its  original  sound.  This  may  be  from  the 
fact  that  among  primitive  tribes,  who  have  no  written  numerals, 
the  five  fingers  of  the  hand  are  invariably  used  to  solve  their 
simple  problems  in  arithmetic;  so  notably,  indeed,  is  this  the 
case,  that  in  many  dialects  five  and  hand  are  synonymous  : the 
hand  in  that  way  becoming  a sort  of — if  I may  use  the  ex- 
pression— rude  hieroglyphic  signifying  five.  In  the  same 
way  eye,  or  Mata,  is  a simple,  easily  remembered  sound  ; 
and  as  it  designates  the  organ  of  sight — something  that  has 
its  sign  in  each  human  face,  that  is  in  constant  use,  and 
constantly  appealed  to  to  satisfy  the  savage,  as  well  as  the 
most  cultivated  instincts — it  too  has  been  retained,  in  nearly 
its  pure  sound,  in  the  various  dialects.  Thus  I might  go  on 
selecting  the  words  that  appear  to  me  to  have  retained  their 
primitive  sounds,  simply  because  they  find  their  visible  symbols 
in  the  objects  which  surround  the  simple  abodes  of  the 
aborigines. 

But  the  reader,  by  referring  to  the  Vocabularies,  will  be 
enabled  to  form  his  own  conclusions,  and  to  trace  out  the 
affinities,  or  the  opposite,  that  exist  between  the  Formosan 
dialects,  and  also  the  close  family  likeness  which  they  bear  to 
the  Polynesian  languages.  (See  Polynesian  Vocabularies  in 
Crawford  s ‘ Indian  Archipelago,’  vol.  iii.,  and  the  words  noted 
on  Table  III.) 

Fresh  evidence  of  the  existence  of  races  on  the  New 
Guinea  coast  who  speak  the  Polynesian  dialects  has  been 
afforded  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Gill,  who  made  three  visits  to  the 
island  in  1872.1  Thus,  he  tells  us  that  the  word  for  eye  with 
two  separate  tribes  is  Mata,  for  ear  Taringa  and  Taia,  and  for 
hands  Ima-ima  and  Rima-rima.  These  words  are  all  to  be 
found  in  the  Formosan  dialects,  and  indeed  might  have  been 
taken  from  them.  As  for  the  numerals  in  use  among  the 
1 Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society , xviii.  45. 


APPENDIX. 


54' 


aboirgines  of  Formosa,  they  would  afford  but  doubtful  evidence 
of  the  Polynesian  origin  of  the  tribes  were  they  not  supported 
by  the  more  direct  testimony  which  the  various  dialects  supply. 


SHORT  VOCABULARIES  OF  THE  DIALECTS  SPOKEN 
BY  THE  ABORIGINES  OF  FORMOSA. 

Tabi.e  I. 


| English 

Names  of  Tribes 

Pachicn 

Sibucoon 

Tibolal 

Banga 

Bantanlang 

Singapore 

Malay 

Man 

Lalusa 

Lamoosa 

Sarellai 

Aoolai 

Orang 

Woman 

Atlain 

Maou-spingth 

— 

Abaia 

Abaia 

Prampaun 

Head 

Bangoo 

Bangoo 

Sapchi 

Kapallu 

Kapallu 

Kapaia 

Hair 

— 

— 

— 

Ussioi 

— 

Rambut 

Tooth 

— 

— 

Nganon 

— 

— 

digit 

Neck 

Guon-gorath 

— 

— 

Oorohu 

Oorohu 

Leher 

Ear 

Charunga 

— 

— 

Charinga 

Charinga 

Talinga 

Mouth 

Mussoo 

Nipoon 

— 

Didisi 

Muto-mytoo 

Muliit 

Nose 

Ngoon-goro 

Muttus 

Nguchu 

Coomonu 

Ongoho 

Idling 

Eye 

Ooraitla 

Mata 

M uchen 

Macha 

Macha 

Heart 

Takaru 

Kanum 

— 

Kasso 

Tookuho 

Janteng 

Hand 

Ramucho 

Tarima 

Ramucha 

Arema 



Foot 

Sapatl 

Ktlapa 

Sapchi 

Tsapku 

Amoo 

Kaki 

Thigh 

Bannen 

Pinassan 

Tangigya 

Danoosa 

Laloohe 

Pauh 

Leg 

— 

— 

— 

Tiboo-sabossa 

— 

Bet  is 

Knee 

Anasatoo 

Khap 

— 

Pookuro 

Sakaho 

Lutut 

Leopard 

Lakotl 

— 

— 

Likalao 

Rikoslao 

Animau  Karabang 

Bear 

Chumatu 

— 

— 

Choomatu 

Choomai 

Bruang 

Deer 

Putooru 

— 

— 

Silappu 

Caliche 

Rusa 

Wild  hog 

Aroomthi 

— 

— 

— 

Babooy 

Babi-outan  j 

Monkey 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Mararooko 

Mon  yet 

Wild  goat 

Okin 

— 

— 

— 

Kehe 

Kambing-outan 

Fowl 

lurhook 

— 

— 

Turkook 

Turkook 

A yam 

House 

— 

— 

— 

Dami 

Dami 

Ruma 

Chief 

— 

Titan-garchu 

— 

Tital-abahi 

Tallai 

Rajah 

Bamboo 

Baswera 

— 

— 

— 

Taroo-Iahiroi 

Bulah  ' j 

Cassia 

— 

— 

— 

Tara-inai 

— 

Kfilit  Manas 

Tea 

— 

— 

— 

Lang-lang 

— 

Daun  Teh 

Cooking  pan 

Kusang 

— 

— 

— 

Palangu 

Kwali-.Masak 

Pumpkin 

— 

— 

— 

Tangu-tangu 

— 

Labu  Fringgi 

Fragrant 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Anaremu 

Wangie 

• Rice 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Chiluco 

Bras 

Rice  boiled 

Oaro 

— 

— 

Curao 

Ba-ooro 

Nasi 

Fire 

Apooth 

Sapooth 

Pooju 

Apoolu 

Apooy 

Api 

Water 

Satloom 

Manum 

Chooraai 

Achilai 

Achilai 

Ayer 

Ring 

Tujana 

Paklis 

— 

Tarra 

Mata-na 

Chin-chin 

Ear-ring 

— 

— 

— 

Chin-gari 

Ang-choy 

Krabu 

Bracelet 

Pitoka 

Push-tonna 

— 

Uliule 

Issaise 

Galang 

Pipe 

Katsap 

Kaconan 

— 

Ang-choy 

Ang-chov 

Pipa 

Gun 

Taklito 

Pavak-sapum 

— 

Guang 

Guangu 

Sanapang 

Skin  jacket 

Nicaroota 

Shiddi 

— 

Amalin 

Carridha  1 

Bajo-kulet 

Cap 

Sarapun 

Tamoking 

— 

Tara-pung 

Torra-pungu 

Topie 

Letter 

— 

— 

— 

Senna 

Uraome 

Surat 

Smoke 

Worlbooro 

Khosalt 

— 

Uburon 

— 

Asap 

By-and-bye 

Chuden 

— 

— j 

— 

Churana 

Lagi-sabuntar 

Warm 

Machechu  1 

— 

— 

Mechechi 

Mechechi  i 

Panas 

Cold 

Matilku 

— 

— 

Matilku  | 

Malilku 

Sajuk 

Rain 

Maisang 

- 

Ugan 

Note. — The  Formosa  vocabularies,  with  the  exception  of  the  Baksa  Pepohoan,  were  supplied  by 
Dr.  Maxwell  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ritchie,  Formosa.  The  Baksa  vocabulary  was  taken  down  by  the 
author  when  among  the  Pepohoans. 


542 


APPENDIX. 


Table  II. 


Names  of  Tribes  |i 

II 

Names  of  Tribes 

English 

Shekhoan 

Malay 

English 

Shekhoan 

Malay 

Man 

Mamalung 

Orang 

Thou  or  ye 

Isu 

Inkang 

Woman 

Mameoss 

Prampaun 

Good 

Riak 

Biak 

Child 

Lakehan 

Anak 

Bad 

Satdeal 

Jahat 

Son 

( Lakehan  ) 

Ano 

Sun 

Liddock 

Mata-hari 

( Mamalung  [ 

Moon 

I lias 

Bulan 

Daughter  or  girl 

Mamaop 

— 

Star 

Bintool 

Bintang 

Father 

Aba 

Bapa 

Heaven 

Babu-kanas 

Surga 

Mother 

Inna 

Ma 

High 

Baban 

Tingi 

Elder  brother 

Abusan 

Abang 

Mountain 

Binaiss 

Bukit 

Younger  brother 

Soaip 

Adik 

Sea 

Anass 

Laut 

Sister 

Mamaop 

— 

Free 

Katxaney 

Mardika 

Head 

Poonat 

Kapala 

Great 

Matalah 

Besar 

Hair 

Bakus 

Rambut 

Small 

Tateng 

Kechil 

Mouth 

Lahar 

Mulut 

Day 

Lahan 

Hari 

Eyes 

Darik 

Mata 

Night 

Hinien 

Malum 

Nose 

Mooding 

Idung 

One 

Ida 

Satu 

Arm 

Limat 

Two 

Doosah 

Dua 

Leg 

Karan 

— 

Three 

Tooro 

Tiga 

Live 

Meirad 

Id  up 

Four 

Supat 

Ampat 

Die 

Polekat 

Mati 

Five 

Hassub 

Lima 

Eat 

Makan 

Mukanan 

Six 

Boodah 

Anam 

Eat  rice 

Makan-somai 

Makan-nasi 

Seven 

Bi-doosut 

Tugu 

Drink 

Mudauch 

Menam 

Eight 

Bi-tooro 

Da-lapan 

Drink  wine 

f Mudauch  1 
1 in  unsat  ) 

Menam-angur 

Nine 

Ten 

Bi-supat 

Isid. 

Simbilan 

Sa-puluh 

I or  me 

Iakok 

Aku 

• 

Table  III. 


Names  of  Tribes 

Names  of  Tribes 

English 

Tribe  at 
Pilam 

Malay 

English 

Tribe  at 
Pilam 

Malay 

Man 

Atinbe 

Orang 

Cold 

Litak 

Sajuk 

Male 

Mainaen 

Jantan 

Sea 

A-nik 

Laut 

Female 

Babaian 

Batena 

Earth 

Darak 

Tana  or  darat 

Father 

Amoko 

Bapa 

Fire 

Apui 

Api 

Mother 

Abu 

Ma 

Mountain 

Adcnan 

Bukit 

Son 

Alak 

Anak 

Rice 

Rumai 

Bras 

Daughter 

Abavi 

Anak  dara 

Good 

lnava 

Biak 

Head 

Tungrow 

Kapala 

Bad 

Kaotish 

Jahat 

Eye 

Mata 

Mata 

Darkness 

Aruning 

Galap 

Nose 

Atingran 

Idung 

Strike  light 

Pulalauit 

Dapnt-api 

Mouth 

Indan 

Mulut 

North 

Loud 

Utara 

Face 

Tungur 

Muka 

South 

Daiah 

Salalan 

Ear 

Tungila 

Talinga 

East 

Ameh 

Tmur 

Hand 

A-lima 

Tangan 

West 

Timur 

Barat 

Body 

A-liduk 

Badan 

One 

Itu 

Satu 

Feet 

La  par 

Kaki 

Twe 

Lusa 

Dua 

Heart 

Ne-rung-arung 

Jantong 

Three 

Taloh 

Tiga 

House 

A-ruma 

Ruma 

Four 

Scpat 

Ampat 

( larden 

A-uma 

Cabun 

Five 

Lima 

Lima 

Vegetables 

A-ropan 

Siuer 

Six 

Onam 

Anam 

Village 

A-tikal 

Campong 

Seven 

Pitu 

Tugu 

Wood 

Kiau 

Kiau 

Eight 

Aloo 

Da-lupan 

Water 

A-tuci 

Ayer 

Nine 

Siva 

Sambilan 

Heat 

Beaus 

Panas 

Ten 

Pclapsang 

Sa-puluh 

APPENDIX. 


543 


Table  IV. 


Names  of  Tribes. 

Names  of  Tribes 

English 

Baksa 

Pcpohoan 

Malay 

English 

Baksa 

Pcpohoan 

Malay 

Man 

Kaguling-ma 

Orang 

Heat 

Ma-kinku 

Panas 

Male 

Ama 

Jantan 

Cold 

M a -hun  moon 

Sajuk 

Female 

Enina 

Batina 

; Rain 

Mudan 

Ugim 

Son 

Alak 

Anak 

Stone 

Batu 

Batu 

Daughter 

Yugant  nina 

Anak-daia 

Wood 

Kiau 

Kiau 

Child 

Yugant 

Anik 

Iron 

Mani 

Bisi 

Father 

Ima 

Bapa 

Flower 

Eseep 

Bunga 

Mother 

Ina 

Ma 

[ Fruit 

Toto 

Bua 

Elder  brother 

Jaka 

Abang 

Earth 

Ni 

Tana 

Younger  brother 

Ebe 

Adik 

Water 

Jalum 

Ayer 

Elder  sister 

Jaka 

— 

Wind 

Bali 

An  gin 

Younger  sister 

Ebe 

— 

Smoke 

Atu 

Asap 

Husband  ^ 
and  wife  j 

Maka-kaja 

- 

Clean 

Dirty 

Ma-kupti 

Ma-luksung 

Brisi 

Cotor 

Head 

Mongong 

Kapala 

Black 

Ma-edum 

Etam 

Body 

Bwan 

Badan 

White 

Ma-puli 

Puti 

Belly 

Ebuk 

Prut 

Red 

Ma-epong 

Mera 

Beard 

Ngih 

Jangut 

Rice 

Dak 

Bras 

Tooth 

WaU 

Gigi 

Rice  cooked 

Rudak 

Bras-masa 

Mouth 

Mutut 

Mulut 

River 

Mutu 

Sungi 

Throat 

Luak 

Lhaer 

Sky 

Towin 

Langit 

Hair 

Bukaun 

Rambut 

Sea 

Baung 

Laut 

Hand 

Lima 

Tangan 

To  blow 

Ayu 

Teop 

Foot 

La  pan 

Kaki 

To  push 

Dudung 

Kaki 

Finger-nails 

Ku-rung-kung 

Kooku 

i Banana 

Bunbun 

Pisang 

Eye 

Mata 

Mata 

Cocoa-nut 

Agubung 

Kalapa 

Ear 

Tangela 

Talinga 

Mango 

Mangut 

Mampalam 

Nose 

Togunut 

Idung 

Orange 

Busilam 

Lemo 

Death 

Ilapati 

Mati 

Potatoe 

Tamami 

Obie 

Life 

Maonga 

Idup 

Bad 

Masari 

Jahat 

Fire 

Apoi 

Api 

Good 

Magani 

Biak 

Tobacco 

Tabacow 

Timbacu 

Disease 

Maalam 

Sackit 

i Pipe 
| Stand 

Timbakang 

Netuku 

Pepo 

Burderi 

To  kill 

Lumpo 

J Kasa-mati 
( or  Bono 

| Walk 

Daran 

Jalan 

i Sun 

Wali 

Mata-hari 

Sing 

Mururou 

Ngnia 

Moon 

Buran 

Bulan 

COMPARATIVE  TABLE  OF  THE  LANGUAGES  OF  FORMOSA,  THE  PHILIPPINES,  SINGAPORE, 

NEW  ZEALAND,  ETC. 


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Siam 

Sampu 

BSOUUOjJ 

ueoq 

-odag  us>(ug 

ti  p E /3  *i  bjQ 

_ S /O  Q,  •-  3 2,  • .5  rt 

ti  X.  u , ^ c CU  •-  Z c 

coQHQoPQ^ 

itsouuoj 

iqouiES 

S 3 § .1  .1  1 “ 1 | O 1 

esouijog 

SuujuEjuug 

§ 3 4 

§ I « a -«  s „ « a S I 

Q^H0.kJS5A<SM&. 

csotujog 

uSuug 

Denga 

Noosa 

Tor6 

Patu 

Lima 

Neuma 

Pit6 

Mevaroo 

Bangatb 

Poorookoo 

■esouiJog 

0 

1 3 § §■  J 5 2 t £ s 1 

O >-l  H w Z &<  «s  U 

TJSOUIJOJ 

uooDnqig 

bJD 

C rt  _ g O 3 

1 1 1 .« 1 j 1 1 1 i 1 

rsounog 

uajqoiej 

8 I 

I § 1 S .1  I 1 | 1 j 1 

qsi|3ug 

One 

Two 

Three 

Four 

Five 

Six 

Seven 

Eight 

Nine 

Ten 

Hand1 

1 I have  added  the  word  Lima,  or  Hand,  in  the  Baksa  dialect,  in  which  it  also  I * Du  Dialecte  de  Tahiti , de  celui  des  ilcs  Marquises , et  ch  general,  de  la 
means  five.  (‘  In  many  Negro  languages  Lima  also  means  hand/  See  the  late  Mr.  Langue  Polynisiettne , Table,  p.  xoi. 

Crawford’s  Dissertation  on  the  Malay  Language,  &c.,  p.  236.  ' * Voyage  de  L’  Astrolabe , par  M.  D'Urville.  Paris,  1834. 

* Essays  Ethnological  and  Linguistic , by  tne  late  James  Kennedy,  p.  74.  1 


APPENDIX. 


545 


DIURNAL  LEPIDOPTERA  OF  SIAM, 

COLLECTED  ]!Y  THE  AUTHOR  AND  NAMED  BY  H.  W.  BATES,  ESQ.  F.L.S.  &C. 

Fam.  Danaid/E. 

I deops  is  Daos  (Boisduval).  One  example. 

Datiais  M elevens  (Cramer).  Several  examples. 

Danais  Aglea  (Cramer).  Apparently  common. 

Datiais  Similis  (Lin.).  Equal'y  common  with  D.  Aglea. 

Danais  Plexippus  (Lin.).  Two  examples. 

Euplcea  St/perba  (Herbst).  One  pair. 

Euplcca  Eunice  (Godart).  One  example. 

Euplcea  Midamus  (Lin.).  Many  examples. 

Fam.  Satyrid.e. 

Cyllo  Leda  (Lin.).  Several  specimens. 

Mycalesis  Mittens  (Lin.).  Several  specimens. 

Fam.  Nymphalid^e. 

Melanitis  Undularis  (Drury).  Several  specimens,  with  varieties. 
Cethosia  Cyane  (Drury).  Two  examples. 

Terinos  Clarissa  (Boisd.).  One  example. 

Cirrhochroa  Thais  (Fab.).  One  example. 

Messaras  Erymanthis  (Drury).  Several  examples. 

Atella  Phalanta  (Drury).  Several  examples. 

Precis  Ida  (Cramer).  One  pair. 

Diadema  Bohtia  (Lin.,  Cram.).  Several  examples,  of  both  sexes. 
Athyma  Leucothoe  (Lin.).  Two  examples. 

Adolias  Monina  (F.).  Several  specimens. 

Minetra  Sylvia  (Cram.).  Tv  o examples. 

Fam.  Pierinve. 

Pontia  Nina  (F.). 

Terias  Hecabe  (L.).  Several  examples,  with  varieties. 

Pieris  Nerissa  (Fab.). 

Tachyris  Lyncida  (Cram.).  Several  examples. 

Tacky ris  Paulina  (Cram.).  One  example. 

Eronia  Valeria  (Cram.).  Several  examples. 


546 


APPENDIX. 


Fam.  Papilionid^e. 

Orniihoptera  Rhadamanthus  (Boisd.).  Var.  Thomsonii. 

The  single  male  example  which  Mr.  Thomson  collected  ill 
Siam  differs  from  those  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  by  the 
longer  and  more  falcate  form  of  the  anterior  wings,  and  by 
the  clear  yellow  colour  of  the  hind  wings,  on  which  there  is  a 
dusky  mark  only  round  the  three  marginal  spots  near  the 
anal  angle.  The  yellowish  gray  streaks  of  the  anterior  wings 
are  confined  to  the  margins  of  the  branches  of  the  median 
nervure. 

This  local  form,  or  subspecies,  is  distinguished  from  the 
North  Indian  form  of  O.  Rhadamanthus  by  the  distinct  red 
collar,  and  by  the  yellow  abdomen  (of  the  male)  marked  only 
with  a dusky  patch  in  the  middle  of  each  dorsal  segment  ; 
there  is  also  a pinkish-red  spot  on  each  side  of  the  base  of  the 
abdomen. 

In  a genus  like  Ornithoptera,  offering  so  strong  a ten- 
dency to  the  formation  of  local  forms  throughout  the  areas  of 
distribution  of  the  species,  it  is  necessary  that  such  forms 
should  receive  distinguishing  names.  Such  has  been  the 
practice  of  most  entomologists,  and  on  this  account  the  present 
Siamese  form  may  bear  the  subspecific  name  of  O.  Thom- 
sonii. 

Papilio  Macareus  (Godt.).  One  example. 

Papilio  Diphilus  (Esper).  Many  examples. 

Papilio  Eriihoniits  (Cramer).  Several  examples. 

Papilio  Pammon  (Lin.).  Several  examples. 

Papilio  Helenus  (Lin.).  Two  examples. 

Papilio  Memnon  (Lin.).  Several  examples. 

Papilio  Antiphates  (Cram.).  One  example. 

Papilio  Agamemnon  (Lin.).  Several  examples. 

Papilio  Sarpedon  (Lin.).  Several  examples. 


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the  Continent  of  South  America.  By  James  Orton,  M.A.,  Professor  of  Natural 
History  in  Vassar  College,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  and  Corresponding  Member  of 
the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Philadelphia.  With  a New  Map  of  Equatorial 
America  and  numerous  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  $2  00. 

PAGE'S  LA  PLATA.  La  Plata,  the  Argentine  Confederation,  and  Paraguay.  Being 
a Narrative  of  the  Exploration  of  the  Tributaries  of  the  River  La  Plata  and  Ad- 
jacent Countries  during  the  Years  1S53,  ’54,  ’55,  and  ’50,  under  the  Orders  of  the 
United  States  Government.  New  Edition,  containing  Farther  Explorations  in  La 
Plata  during  1S59  and  1S6U.  By  Thomas  J.  Page,  U.  S.  N.,  Commander  of  the  Ex- 
peditions. With  Map  and  numerous  Engravings.  Svo,  Cloth,  $5  00. 

PRIME’S  (S.  I.)  TRAVELS  IN  EUROPE  AND  THE  EAST.  Travels  in  Europe  and 
the  East.  A Year  in  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Wales,  France,  Belgium,  Hol- 
land, Germany,  Austria,  Italy,  Greece,  Turkey,  Syria,  Palestine,  and  Egypt.  By 
Rev.  Samuel  Iren.eus  Prime,  D.D.  Engravings.  2 vols.,  large  12mo,  Cloth,  $3  00. 

READE’S  SAVAGE  AFRICA.  Western  Africa:  being  the  Narrative  of  a Tour  in 
Equatorial.  Southwestern,  and  Northwestern  Africa;  with  Notes  on  the  Habits 
of  the  Gorilla:  on  the  Existence  of  Unicorns  and  Tailed  Men;  on  the  Slave  Trade; 
on  the  Origin,  Character,  and  Capabilities  of  the  Negro,  and  on  the  Future  Civil- 
ization of  Western  Africa.  By  W.  Win  wood  Reade,  Fellow  of  the  Geographical 
and  Anthropological  Society  of  London,  and  Corresponding  Member  of  the  Geo- 
graphical Society  of  Paris.  With  Illustrations  and  a Map.  8vo,  Cloth,  $4  00. 

HOLTON’S  NEW  GRANADA.  Twenty  Months  in  the  Andes.  By  I.  F.  Holton. 
Illustrations  and  Maps.  Svo,  Cloth,  $3  00. 


4 


Valuable  and  Interesting  Works  of  Travel. 


REINDEER,  DOGS,  AND  SNOW-SHOES.  A Journal  of  Siberian  Travel  and  Ex- 
plorations made  in  the  Years  1865-’67.  By  Richard  J.  Bush,  late  of  the  Russo- 
American  Telegraph  Expedition.  Illustrated.  Crown  Svo,  Cloth,  $3  00. 

PRIME’S  (W.  C.)  BOAT-LIFE  IN  EGYPT.  Boat-Life  in  Egypt  and  Nubia.  By 
William  C.  Prime.  Illustrations.  12mo,  Cloth,  $2  00. 

PRIME  S (W.  C.)  TENT-LIFE  IN  THE  HOLY  LAND.  By  William  C.  Prime.  Il- 
lustrations. 12mo,  Cloth,  $2  00. 

SQUIER'S  CENTRAL  AMERICA.  The  States  of  Central  America:  their  Geography, 
Topography,  Climate,  Population,  Resources,  Productions,  Commerce,  Political 
Organization,  Aborigiues,  &c.,  &c.  Comprising  Chapters  on  Houduras,  San  Sal- 
vador, Nicaragua,  Costa  Rica,  Guatemala,  Belize,  the  Bay  Islands,  the  Mosquito 
Shore,  and  the  Honduras  Inter-Oceanic  Railway.  By’E.  G.  Squier,  formerly 
Charge  d' Affaire  of  the  United  States  to  the  Republics  of  Central  America.  With 
numerous  Original  Maps  and  Illustrations.  8vo,  Cloth,  $4  00. 

SQUIER'S  NICARAGUA.  Nicaragua:  its  People,  Scenery,  Monuments,  Resources, 
Condition,  and  Proposed  Canal.  With  One  Hundred  Maps  and  Illustrations.  By 
E.  G.  Squier.  Svo,  Cloth,  $4  00. 

SQUIER'S  WAIKNA.  Waikna;  or,  Adventures  on  the  Mosquito  Shore.  By  E.  G. 
Squier.  With  a Map  and  upward  of  Sixty  Illustrations.  12mo,  Cloth,  $1  50. 

SPEKE’S  AFRICA.  Journal  of  the  Discovery  of  the  Source  of  the  Nile.  By  Captain 
John  Hanning  Speke,  Captain  H.  M.’s  Indian  Army,  Fellow  and  Gold Medalist 
of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society,  Hon.  Corresponding  Member  and  Gold  Med- 
alist of  the  French  Geographical  Society,  &c.  With  Maps  and  Portraits  and  nu- 
merous Illustrations,  chiefly  from  Drawings  by  Captain  Grant.  Svo,  Cloth,  f t 00. 

STEPHENS’S  TRAVELS  IN  CENTRAL  AMERICA.  Travels  in  Central  America, 
Chiapas,  and  Yucatan.  By  J.  L.  Stephens.  With  a Map  and  SS  Engravings.  2 
vols.,  Svo,  Cloth,  $0  00. 

STEPHENS’S  TRAVELS  IN  YUCATAN.  Incidents  of  Travel  in  Yucatan.  By  J. 
L.  Stephens.  120  Engravings,  from  Drawings  by  F.  Catherwood.  2 vols.,  Svo, 
Cloth,  SO  00. 

STEPHENS’S  TRAVELS  IN  EGYPT.  Travels  in  Egypt,  Arabia  Petraa,  and  the 
Holy  Laud.  By  J.  L.  Stephens.  Engravings.  2 vols.,  12mo,  Cloth,  $3  00. 

STEPHENS’S  TRAVELS  IN  GREECE.  Travels  in  Greece.  Turkey,  Russia,  and 
Poland.  By  J.  L.  Stephens.  Engravings.  2 vols.,  12mo,  Cloth,  $3  00. 

THOMSON’S  LAND  AND  BOOK.  The  Laud  and  the  Book:  or,  Biblical  Illustra- 
tions drawn  from  the  Manners  and  Customs,  the  Scenes  and  the  Scenery  of  the 
Holy  Land.  By  W.  M.  Thomson,  D.D.,  Twenty-five  Years  a Missionary"  of  the 
A.B.C.F.M.  in  Syria  and  Palestine.  With  Two  elaborate  Maps  of  Palestine,  an 
accurate  Plan  of  Jerusalem,  and  Several  Hundred  Engravings,  representing  the 
Scenery,  Topography,  and  Productions  of  the  Holy  Laud,  and  the  Costumes, Man- 
ners, and  Habits  of  the  People.  Two  large  12mo  Volumes,  Cloth,  $5  00. 

VAMBERY’S  CENTRAL  ASIA.  Travels  in  Central  Asia:  being  the  Account  of  a 
Journey  from  Teheran  across  the  Turkoman  Desert,  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of  the 
Caspian,  to  Khiva,  Bokhara,  and  Samarcand,  performed  in  the  Year  1S63.  By 
Akminics  Vamheuy,  Member  of  the  Hungarian  Academy  of  Pesth , by  whom  he 
was  sent  on  this  Scientitic  Mission.  With  Map  and  Woodcuts.  Svo,  Cloth,  $4  50. 

VIRGINIA  ILLUSTRATED:  containing  a Visit  to  the  Virginian  Canaan,  and  the 
Adventures  of  Porte  Crayon  and  his  Cousins.  Illustrated  from  Drawings  by 
Porte  Crayon.  Svo,  Cloth,  $3  50. 

WALLACE'S  MALAY  ARCHIPELAGO.  The  Malay  Archipelago:  the  Land  of  the 
Orang-Utan  and  the  Bird  of  Paradise.  A Narrative  of  Travel,  lS54-’62.  With 
Studies  of  Man  and  Nature.  By  Alfred  Russel  Wallace.  With  Maps  and  nu- 
merous Illustrations.  Crown  Svo,  Cloth,  $2  50. 

ATKINSON'S  SIBERIA.  Oriental  and  Western  Siberia : a Narrative  of  Seven  Years' 
Explorations  and  Adventures  in  Siberia,  Mongolia,  the  Kirghis  Steppes,  Chinese 
Tartary,  and  Part  of  Central  Asia.  By  Thomas  Witlam  Atkinson.  With  a Map 
and  numerous  Illustrations.  Svo,  Cloth,  $3  50. 

BARTH’S  NORTH  AND  CENTRAL  AFRICA.  Travels  and  Discoveries  in  North 
and  Central  Africa.  Being  a Journal  of  an  Expedition  undertaken  under  the 
Auspices  of  II.  15.  M.’s  Government,  in  the  Years  1S49-1S55.  By  Henry  Barth, 
Ph.D.,  D.C.L.  Illustrated.  3 vols.,  Svo,  Cloth,  $12  00. 

BALDWIN’S  AFRICAN  HUNTING.  African  Hunting,  from  Natal  to  the  Zambesi, 
including  Lake  Ngami,  the  Kalahari  Desert,  Ac.,  from  1S52  to  1800.  By  William 
Charles  Baldwin,  Esq.,  F.R.G.S.  With  Map,  Fifty  Illustrations  by  Wolf  and 
Zwecker,  and  a Portrait.  12mo,  Cloth,  $1  50. 

KINGSLEY'S  WEST  INDIES.  At  Last:  A Christmas  in  the  West  Indies.  By 
Charles  Kingsley,  Author  of  “Alton  Locke,"  “Yeast,”  &C.,  &C.  Illustrated. 
12mo,  Cloth,  $1  50. 


